The Forbidden Path
by phoenixkiller
Summary: My first story, primarily a Luxsoka romance, but it is over a very extended period of time, and I will be adding new characters as the story progresses. It will contain Order 66, you'll just have to find out how that turns out. Rated M for some sexual conduct. Enjoy and please, please rate!
1. Raxus

**Alright, here's the first chapter. It'll start out slow, so all you people expecting hardcore sex in any chapter under the number of thirty have another thing coming. Please note that each chapter is short. I'll make up for it in number of chapters. **

**Please leave reviews.**

Politics. Why would I want to know about politics? That was a job for Padme, not a jedi. Just because my master thinks, incorrectly, I'm too narrow-minded in politics, doesn't mean that I have to sit out the next mission to help Padme get onto a traitorous Separatist planet. I'm not excessively inclined to awkwardly visit some friend of Padme's, but then again, aren't we all like that?

Yes, that's me, Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who will not miss a good fight, and can't stand politics of any degree. I'm a powerful Jedi in the Great War, so I still question why my master let Padme teach me about politics.

"Raxus, stop 5, three parsecs," Blared the distorted speakers. So this is it. I'm disobeying my master, again, and going to a forbidden Separatist planet with a politician as a guide. Could things get any more boring? On top of that, I had to wait another hour for landing.

"All passengers please prepare for landing," said the captain through those ridiculous speakers. It's about time! I seated myself beside Padme, and secured myself. After mentally debating the issue once more, I heard and felt the signal of a very useless ship - the creaking of the landing gear and their slam against the landing platform.

After the noise began to subside, I slowly said, "Senator, are you sure this is a good idea?"

She turned and, looking mischievously at me replied, "No, but I'm sure bringing this war to a quicker end would be better than staying on Coruscant, listening to all those… what did you call them? Oh yes, those 'ridiculously boring and monotonous' speeches on politics. Just remember, I said I would teach you about politics, so please, take note what you think of the Bonteri family, and act in respect."

I disagreed, but I simply nodded and picked up the luggage, just as the doors opened and the loading ramp descended. Then a new thought came into my mind. The Bonteri _family_? That's just perfect. Now I not only have to be on the same planet with separatists, or meet one, but now, I have to respect an entire family of traitors.

I could not help asking, "Padme, an entire _family _of separatists? You know I don't approve of even one of these people."

Softly she replied, "They aren't so different from you and me, Ahsoka. You'll get along."

I nodded and gave a quick smile. Yep, I'm doomed. What an incredible thing to agree to. I dearly hoped I wouldn't have to stay long. A short visit, possibly staying until the next Confederacy of Independent Systems meeting, then going back to a planet I actually care about.

A separatist planet indeed. Nosey battle droids were the only real welcoming party we got after disembarking. We narrowly missed having our I.D.s checked.

We were motioned toward a woman older than Padme, who greeted the senator.

"Hello, old friend."

Padme seemed happy, and she kindly indicated her, and told me, "Ahsoka, this is Mina Bonteri. She was my mentor when I was growing up on Naboo."

At last, my first traitor that I had to politely greet. I resolved instantly not to, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind…

"You're… a separatist?"

She seemed momentarily perplexed by my comment, probably because my natural aggression wasn't normal to her. But in a split second, she chuckled, apparently amused by my remark.

"Why, of course, my dear, what were you expecting? Now come, I have a transport waiting."

I followed in Padme's shadow, hating every moment of being on this planet. A transport, owned by Mrs. Bonteri, was nearby.

Following a short trip to the south end of the city, we arrived at a spacious home of light colors. I liked the house better than its occupants. Mina and Padme disembarked, so I followed quickly behind.

It was directly after when she called, to my dismay, "Lux, come down here and help our guests with their luggage, please!"

It was at that moment that a boy, about my age, wearing silly clothes, descended the house's steps and attempted to take our luggage.

He simply said "May I?" indicating the bags. I already disliked him, and the way he looked at me didn't make me happy either.

I dismissed him, saying "I can handle it."

I could already tell he, like so many other boys in the galaxy, couldn't resist trying to help a young and fine looking Togrutan female, as most boys that looked at me like he did already had a crush on me. I might have had more respect for him if he hadn't turned out like another stupid guy.

He seemed offended, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to get this trip over with and be done with this… traitor.

We were motioned inside, and I walked in, solely out of politeness. I had been hoping to not have to stay with a house of traitors, but I had no such luck.

**This chapter was just to get you adjusted to the setting and characters, as well as Ahsoka's mindset. I'll alternate between Ahsoka's and Lux's points of view, and major parts of the story will be in third person omniscient, meaning you have less deep feelings of just one person, but it'll be like being a spectator, rather than interviewing one of the two. Possibility of a few other people's POVs as well.  
**


	2. The House

**Here's the next chapter. Trying to see if I can develop some possible feelings between them without making it too fast. Please leave reviews and tell me how to make it better, if I'm too fast or too slow, anything. Thanks guys.**

They made small talk, as I expected, and Mina mentioned the fact that the war kept going.

I decided to voice my opinion, "With all due respect, as a separatist, didn't you create the Clone Wars?"

I felt a pang of guilt when Padme quickly rebuked me, "Ahsoka!"

But Mina was unafraid, and replied, "It's alright. That's a very polarized point of view, my dear. Would it interest you to know that many of the people you call 'separatists' feel the same way about the Republic, and the jedi? Lux's father was like that."

Determined to make them see my view and accept it, I offered "Well, maybe I could talk to him."

I felt even worse following that comment, for her response was a story… regarding the death of Lux's father, who was killed by clones. This was a difficult predicament, so I quickly excused myself from the house, to get some fresh air.

Unfortunately, Lux was outside, too. I intended to walk past him without talking, but I was, at the same time, wondering about him. Did he feel the same way about the Republic and the jedi as his mother?

I did not have long to find out. As I walked down the steps, he asked, "You're a jedi, aren't you?"

That wasn't obvious at all. I wasn't sure if he was looking at my lightsabers or my skirt, though. I still wasn't sure about him. It was time to find out what he was getting to, though, to make Padme happy.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

He explained, "Before the war, I always believed the jedi were good."

Why would he feel any different now?

"And now?"

I understood that he couldn't figure me out, either, when he responded, "I don't know anymore. A lot of terrible things are happening. A lot of killing. And now my friends are beginning to say the jedi are to blame."

He appeared a little confused. But I knew he was surprised to find me a normal jedi, and that he hadn't seen a jedi before. I distrusted him, so I smirked, "I'm the first jedi you've ever met, aren't I?"

He was caught in a trap, and felt a bit awkward, so he hardly managed to say, "Well… um… yes."

Now I had him. It was time to find out if he was like every other dumb guy.

"Look at me. Not so bad, am I?"

He lifted his head and eyed me from head to toe, and thought for a moment. He tried to hide it, but his thoughts betrayed him. He found me pretty, just like everyone else. He went even further when he said,

"No. Not bad at all."

I felt disgusted, and mentally discarded him.

"Ugh. It seems boys are the same whether they're Republic or Separatist."

He wasn't going to let me off so easy though. He quickly called to me as I began to descend again,

"Wait!"

I stopped and turned. He slowed down and quickly said, "How many Separatists have you met?"

"What?"

"Well, I mean, you think we're all the bad guys. But how many of us have you actually met? And droids don't count."

I was caught a bit off balance, but I recovered and said, "Well, besides military officers like Grievous and Ventress, none, I guess. You and your mother are the first."

Though I was off balance before, but his next comment really threw me off.

"Look at _me_. Not so bad, am I?"

I eyed him quickly. No, not terrible, but he was still a Separatist, so I still didn't trust him. I had to get out of this situation, so I turned away and told him,

"I'm sorry about your father, Lux." At that moment his emotions went overboard, and a long-buried wave of grief poured out of him. I could feel it, even without my sensing abilities. I realized that was not the right thing to say too late, and quickly turned and walked away. A glimpse of him while returning to the house caused me to see the hot tears in his eyes.

I thought about what he said later, in my room. Maybe a few separatists weren't so bad, but the Bonteri family may not be the model of all separatists. Also, I knew his pain of losing his father, for I never knew my parents. But staying in the same home with a strange boy and a woman who is a CIS senator was not particularly appealing.

He didn't look that bad, really, but I couldn't help it either. He was different. I saw him across the courtyard in his room, reading a holobook. Noticing a light was on and someone in the window, he looked up and at me. A reflection I saw in him, combined with the fact that he wasn't another boy, caused me to blush and turn away. Perhaps there's more to him than meets the eye.

What a stupid war.

**Lux's Point of View**

Why did she just blush? I thought she hated me. Her aggressiveness was funny, really, if not a bit insolent. I looked down again at my holobook, but once again, I couldn't focus on the words, my mind drifting back to her.

She was beautiful, and I knew she realized it too. I thought for sure jedi were all the bad creatures all my friends said they were. But why wasn't this one like that? Behind that mask of rudeness, there was something about her that was different than the other girls his age. She was a bit more than he expected. And something deep within her reflected his past, as well.

When I looked back up, she had turned out her light and gone to bed. Perhaps some sleep would not be a bad idea. I turned out the light, and wearily crawled into bed. For a few minutes I lay wide awake, still thinking.

A thought crossed my mind that she might feel the same way towards him. Maybe she really wasn't such a rude Torgrutan underneath. But something else nagged at him. What was that feeling that they shared? What was the same about each of their pasts?

**Ahsoka's Point of View**

A bell sounded. My eyes opened to see a beautiful Raxian sunrise. The planet was once again waking up. I rubbed my eyes and remembered the previous day's experiences.

I felt guilty for yesterday's behavior, so I resolved to apologize as soon as possible. Breakfast was a lively affair, but the only people who didn't talk to each other were me and Lux. Padme understood that I was conflicted, as she was naturally great mother figure, and I looked to her like one, too. I politely helped clean up everything, and it was after that was done that Padme took me aside.

"Ahsoka, I know you don't fully understand what to think about him, but remember that some cannot evade certain feelings, even if those feelings go to someone on the other side."

She smiled. I was surprised she wasn't a jedi with sensing powers too. I looked down, slightly embarrassed that she had noticed it. I wanted to like him, but I felt my duty as a jedi demanded that no attachments of any sort would be tolerated.

I walked outside, my heart too full and conflicted to say anything, as was my mind. I saw Lux gazing at the forest on the pavilion, and decided now was as good a time to apologize as ever. I slowly approached.

"Lux….. I'm sorry for yesterday. I know I was rude, and… I'm sorry."

The words were hard in coming, for apologizing was not what I was used to. He turned and looked at me, but this time, something more was in his eyes. I could sense he was pleased, and that he was expecting such a thing. He slowly turned again, and said,

"I know you are, Ahsoka. I realize you don't think very highly of me or any of my kind, the kind you call 'Separatists'. I know you don't trust me, but I hope you will reconsider your anger at my home… my family… and at me."

He looked at me, but he seemed a little wiser, and a little more mature than before. I blushed again, and turned away.

"I don't know Lux. Separatists are who I appear to fight against. Though, now that I know a few, I don't know what to think anymore. Possibly some are better than others….." but then my voice trailed off, and a feeling of embarrassment drove me back into the house.

**Whaddya think?**


	3. Alone

**I loved this chapter so much, I couldn't wait til tonight to publish it. Lemme know what you think, I was trying to get a kiss in there without Ahsoka falling head over heels for him, haha.**

"Ahsoka." Padme called. I turned and she said,

"Mina and I will be at the CIS meeting. Stay here and gather your things, we'll be leaving soon after I get back," Padme announced with pride.

"Of course, senator. I'll be ready," Came my calm acknowledgement.

"We will be gone some time, so take care of yourselves." She said more confidentially. She then smiled in her charming way, and started off.

That means plenty of time to think today. A meditation would do me good. Though as hard as I tried, I could not forget the sorrow in Lux's eyes when he was reminded of his father's death. I had felt the same sorrow… and loss. Fighting to survive when I was three, stealing for a living with no parents. Hardly making ends meet.

The story itself bored into me. I saw my informally adopted "family" back on Shili. Whenever I saw Lux, he just reminded me of a time in my life I had tried to forget, then, the very thought of those people were just poison in my veins.

I couldn't focus on anything, so a walk of reflections, to clear the mind, should help my conflicting thoughts pass faster.

Little did I know Lux was having similar intentions.

**Lux's Point of View**

I had discovered how Jedi were found. They were sent from their homes… their lives… everything… for a life they were too young to understand. When Senator Amidala had told me this, I felt a flashback of my father.

Speeder rides through the city. Teaching me how to be a true man and gentleman. A sense of love, and wisdom, always emanated from him. He knew me, knew my thoughts, rebuked foolish actions, and set my paths straight time and again.

I remembered him leaving to defend his world, his home, his family. Setting up a base was just his way of defending what he loved. Clone troopers, soldiers led by Jedi, murdered him, and yet… simply out of respect for his teachings, I did not harbor any feelings of hatred toward the Jedi.

I remember the pain mother went through. The sorrow and loss pushing her to the brink of suicide. I was the only one who could console her, and help her rebuild her life. She had made it through, and now we tried to hide our pain. But the hollow in my soul could not be filled by anyone else, not the best of friends, or the best of times or my favorite events, nothing. Sometimes I would unashamedly lie awake at night, a tear or two spilling down my cheek. Someone so close to me being ripped away from me at a younger age, and then trying to help his mother through it as well was too much.

And now someone who had felt the same pain was here. But she could hide it. Perhaps she had forgotten about them and moved on.

I couldn't do anything but pace about the room. Perhaps a walk would do me good.

I nearly ran into a conflicted and clearly distracted Ahsoka.

I felt something toward her, but all she reminded me of was pain. And pain is what Ahsoka saw in my eyes, my mind, and my heart.

She looked into me, and saw the pain. I could feel her looking at my life, as through a telescope. Something like pain was in her eyes too.

**Ahsoka's Point of View**

Such pain. And loss. There was nothing like it, but both of us experienced it. On top of that, I sensed his pain was not over.

When I looked up, a flare of something… like a spark, appeared in his eyes. Then a look of sorrow came over them, and I could see his feelings to the bone. There was something more to him, and a strong feeling of sorrow and compassion welled up in me.

Suddenly feelings took over. He leaned forward slightly, and I went the rest of the way to join my lips with his. Fireworks were going off in my head, and a thousand thoughts flashed by in a moment. I broke apart, and whispered, "I'm sorry about your – " But he stopped me by kissing me again.

I drew apart, and felt some remorse. I decided it was best to leave, and quickly.

"I'm… sorry Lux….." But I got no further. I fast walked back to my room.

**Lux's Point of View**

"Wait! Ahsoka!" I cried. She was already inside, so she did not hear me. I didn't know she felt something even as small as _compassion _toward me, or that she would kiss me! I was too stunned to move at that time, so I just let her kiss me. Then _my_ feelings took over and I kissed her back. It wasn't half bad, really. But this clearly caused her pain, and remorse. My instinct told me she simply needed some time to herself. Finding solstice would be better for her, than me just making things worse by apologizing.

She was beautiful, but that wasn't what mattered. She cared about pain, about pity, about… loss. She never knew her parents. Taken from every parent figure on her homeworld as a small girl, never to see them again must have been painful. Perhaps she did what she did simply because her pain equaled his pain, and some sort of a link was involuntarily formed.

I never meant her harm, just caution. She understands me, what I feel. I decided to never speak of the incident again.

**Ahsoka's Point of View**

Why did I do that? I didn't mean for it to go so far. I just… saw myself in his eyes. His pain had been my pain. And pain of that sort was not what I wanted for anyone, and Lux was no different. I felt remorse for violating the Jedi Code that way, but I saw no alternative in that moment to resolve his pain. Perhaps that moment was for the best. But what was I supposed to do? I had broken the Jedi Code, but out of compassion? Was that truly a violation?

I didn't like him, really, but I didn't dislike him either. I just didn't want him to feel so much pain. Maybe, one day, they would grow to enjoy each other's company. No, that truly _was _forbidden. But the thought did not escape my mind. Nor was it fleeting.

**Now, leave that review!**


	4. Senator and Mother

**Alright, next chapter. Getting some feelings sorted out. Really short one, but I think I warned you somewhere that most chapters were gonna be short. Enjoy!**

**Ahsoka's Point of View**

Senator and Mother

I had since reconsidered politics, understanding that it wasn't all black and white. Lux and his mother were proof of that. No one found out that moment between Lux and I. I felt a little foolish for letting him kiss me, but I was reconsidering then possibility that maybe it wasn't all bad. I decided to talk to Padme. My master would be able to find out my story if I told him, and I would not feel comfortable talking to him anyway. Padme would be the one who would understand.

I took a transport over to her apartment. The guards let me through, and I greeted the senator just before she was going to retire for the night.

"Senator?" I questioned, hesitantly. "May I have a word?"

Her face lit up when she saw me, and quickly said "Of course, Ahsoka. Captain, would you and your security excuse us for a moment?"

Captain Typho nodded and started for the door, motioning for his men to do the same. They followed, but I waited until the door closed behind them to speak.

I walked towards the balcony and, while looking at the brightly lighted Coruscant, slowly told Padme what was on my mind.

"Padme, have you ever done something you regret… and cherish… at the same time?"

She looked down and replied,

"Yes. But only once… If you regret something, regret it. If you want to feel better about it, don't let that feeling of regret poison you.

She looked at me, and I at her. She saw it in my eyes.

"Pity… or even compassion… is not wrong, Ahsoka. Rather, it is a natural tendency that resides in all living things. Compassion is a feeling to stay with, as without it, nothing but hate remains. It is only by choice that such a feeling grows to something greater."

I thought for a moment. This time, I was not surprised she understood my issue. She had seen the look on my face when I heard about Lux's father's death. She may have even guessed the truth of what happened.

"Thank you, senator. I understand. But why does compassion lead to something stronger? I mean, they seem like very different things, and… what's the difference?"

This time, her eyes lit up with realizations. But she calmly replied, "They're closer than you think…" She paused.

"As you may already know." She smiled mischievously.

The truth was not ready yet. I smiled, thanked her quickly, and left the room.

**Don't forget a review!**


	5. Carlac

**Here's the story of Carlac to refresh everyone's memory. I needed to stick in the Carlac and Onderon series into my story, so I could give them time to fall in love, and to put them through a lot together. Enjoy.**

Carlac

"Ahsoka, remember, do not draw attention to yourself. Be mindful of those around you, but do not show feelings of anger or hate. He smirked amusedly.

"This is a _peace _conference, so please don't attack the droid bodyguards, and they won't attack you, Snips."

That was the sarcastic words of my master, shortly before I was to leave for Mandalore, neutral ground for the first public meeting between the Republic and the Separatist representatives.

I smirked in return, as I always did when my master told me those kinds of things. He assured me that those such remarks were for my own good, but I called them legal insults.

"I'll remember, Master. I'll leave a few for you, too," I said with a wink.

He smiled back, and waved me off. I boarded the transport destined for Mandalore, and true traitors. The ship smoothly lifted off, and in moments, we activated the hyperdrive to start off an unforgettable trip.

We came out of hyperspace following a long and rather uneventful journey. Mandalore was a light-colored world, dedicated to pacifism and peace. We made our way to the capital city.

Geometric designs, cleanliness, and peace were dominant on Mandalore. Everything seemed… to me, at least… _too_ perfect.

Even before I came near the palace where the meeting was to be held, I could sense the little filthiness that existed on the planet. I already knew it was from the Representatives of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. I didn't care about their fancy titles, though. They were just plain old traitors to me.

The palace was as beautiful and serene as the rest of the planet, save for the hard-headed and utterly stubborn representatives. They blamed the Republic for false crimes and demanded ludicrous terms for peace.

After this droned on for several hours, an unexpected guest with a dangerously bold message arrived.

**Lux's Point of View**

I opened the door, and immediately a commotion arose. Everyone knew my mother had been murdered, and all seemed to ask each other why I was here. I silently questioned the Duchess Satine if I could speak, and she nodded. As I took my stand in front of a raised speaking booth, I suddenly recognized Ahsoka, acting as Senator Amidala's personal bodyguard. All the memories flashed across in a moment… and it was not a feeling of regret that was in her eyes. Rather, a flame.

I remembered what I was here to do, and boldly shouted,

"It has come to my attention that my mother was _murdered_ by Count Dooku in cold blood!"

My doomed remark had the desired effect. A portly Separatist representative jumped to his feet and shouted back, "This is a lie! Remove this traitor immediately!"

The commando droids needed no second bidding. I was seized none too gently, and quickly ended my statement with,

"I will not be silenced! Dooku will betray you, just as he did my mother!"

The droids dragged me outside and to the droid ship. I acted defeated, but was secretly elated that my plan was succeeding perfectly. I readied a device on my wrist.

I was dragged before a hologram of Count Dooku, who rebuked me, but did not realize my concealed gadget had been activated. Unfortunately, the droids were ordered to kill me after the Count delivered a sharp lecture. I was about to destroy the droids with an electrocution device, when the elevator door opened, revealing a determined Ahsoka.

What was she doing in here? What was she thinking? Couldn't she sense I was there for a reason? Puzzled, I breathed,

"Ahsoka?"

She took out the droids and hurried me to the hangar. I didn't want her help, because that may compromise my plan, so I tried to stop her,

"Ahsoka, I appreciate your help, but –"

"Keep moving!"

I had no choice, so I ran with her to her ship, where she told an elite Senate Guard Captain to distract the droids while we took off.

She asked me about why I was there, and just before we entered hyperspace, she asked,

"But how were you going to get out of there without my help anyways?"

I had readied the droid deactivation device, and then exclaimed,

"Like this!", and stunned her. She instantly fell out of consciousness, and I prepared for my next stop.

**Ahsoka's Point of View**

I opened my eyes, and immediately groaned,

"Lux? Lux!"

I noticed my lightsabers were gone, so I instructed R2-D2 to try to find where Lux hid them.

I saw Lux outside the ship, in the deep snow of this planet. Wait a minute. What _was _this planet?

I was going to have a talk with this dangerously bold fellow, so I put on some warmer clothing, and ventured outside.

"Lux! Where are we and what did you do with my lightsabers?!" I demanded of him.

He looked at me and warned me, "You should have stayed with the ship."

It was in that moment when warriors using jetpacks surrounded us, while one, a female, disdainfully spat out,

"Hey kid. You're late."

I knew exactly who they were.

I barely made it past this one by passing off as Lux's fiancée.

They were the Death Watch.

**See that review box right below this comment? Use it. Don't worry, it won't bite.**


	6. Death Watch

**This part of the story was kind of a two-part series (The Carlac series) so I'm gonna publish the second part of this series now. **

Death Watch

I knew about these terrorists, never stopping their attempts to overthrow the Duchess Satine. They were brutal murderers. Not feeling mercy or compassion of any sort, the whole of the group surrounding us was dooming us if I tried to fight them. It was then that Artoo came out of the ship with my lightsabers. I shook my head slightly, and he immediately hid them.

I was forced to come with them to their camp. Once there, the female officer motioned to a tent and said, "The boss will see you in there."

We went inside the tent to wait for the "boss", Pre Vizsla. This was absurd, and I needed to convince Lux that this was not the right choice.

"Lux, these are the Death Watch. They're murderers! They'll –"

I got no further because Lux had suddenly pulled me close and kissed me deeply. He deserved a slap on the face. But in a moment I realized this kiss had a purpose.

Pre Vizsla and his staff entered, and he cautiously mentioned,

"Am I interrupting something?"

He had just kissed me to draw suspicion away from us.

Though, strangely enough, part of me wished it was a true act of love…

I was taken before him, and quickly dismissed to be made a slave, along with villagers from a nearby town. Among them was the village's granddaughter, Tryla. Her grandfather demanded, soon after I was forced into servitude, that the Death Watch leave their planet. Being a simple people, they trusted him when he said they would leave.

Of course, Vizsla ended up trying to incinerate the entire village and its inhabitants, so I could not stop myself from trying to save everyone's skin. The Death Watch were too many, and I wound up in Pre Vizsla's tent to be beheaded.

Artoo wouldn't let that happen, and, following a short battle, we made haste on a stolen speeder to return to the ship. Understandably, we took off without delay.

After exiting the atmosphere, I told Artoo to get the ship in order while I had a chat with Mr. Bonteri. He whistled in acknowledgement, and I told Lux to come with me to the hall.

**Lux's Point of View**

We went into the hallway and she turned to face me.

"I hope you trust me now how to handle certain people. I've got a grip on more things than you know, Lux." She said solemnly.

I slowly nodded. "I realize your wisdom now, Ahsoka. Though not many people can be trusted, Dooku's proof of that. I felt that Jedi, even… you, were no different."

There was a long pause when I stared into her eyes. Something told me not to leave. I wouldn't have wanted to, even if I was going to die on the spot.

"Lux, there's something I wanted to tell you… I – it – it's just – I need to say –"

I knew what she meant already. She loved me. I felt something towards her, too. I was in sound mind this time, so it was purely my choice what happened next.

I pulled her close while she stumbled nervously over her words and did something she wanted to do. I joined my lips with hers. She was tense, but relaxed momentarily. It felt good to ease the mind with a kiss… her warm lips against mine. I had completely forgotten her Jedi status. I just knew I loved her.

She broke apart from me and whispered "I love you."

She didn't stutter this time. She kissed me again. But no feelings of regret tore us apart. But all precious moments must end, and so she pulled away.

"Time to attend to the ship, I guess." She rolled out with a quivering voice.

She left the hallway for the cockpit. I smiled to myself, then sadly turned away to use the escape pod. I couldn't return with her to Coruscant. I wasn't with any side.

Just before I the escape pod detached, I heard her nervously exclaim from outside the pod,

"Lux! Lux, what are you doing?!"

I turned to her, and told her what I should have revealed some time ago. "I can't go with you, Ahsoka. You – you know that."

She seemed panicked, and hardly managed to stutter, "I know, but maybe we could… change things… together…"

I looked into her eyes. "We make a pretty good team, don't we?" It wasn't really enough at the time, I knew, but it was all I could say. I felt like I was being torn in two. Part of me wanted to stay with Ahsoka, and the other part demanded I leave. The love we shared must come last. Duty must come before feelings. The only thing that could spare my pain of leaving her was the hope that, one day, we would meet again.

"Be careful, Lux." She trailed off.

"Don't worry. We'll see each other again. I promise." I told her, quietly.

The escape pod jettisoned.

I didn't know if we _would_ meet again, but I hoped we would.

I was right.

**Use that review box now. Thanks for reading!**


	7. False Assumptions

**Alright, here's the first chapter of the three-chapter Onderon series. Please judge this chapter and the next as one chapter, as I am publishing them simultaneously. **

**Ahsoka's Point of View**

False Assumptions

I was assigned to a mission to train a group of poorly trained and supplied insurgents on Onderon, a planet whose government had been overthrown, and the new king working as a pawn for Dooku. Droids had occupied the planet, but Masters Kenobi and Skywalker, as well as myself, were assigned to carry out a new plan to fight the Separatists by causing their own people to rebel.

Lux was one of the rebels. I was surprised to find him there, ready to fight, as he was just a senator, really. I wouldn't have any trouble training him in particular. All the time, through the brief training session, before the droids overran our location, I wanted to say something to him, but couldn't.

It was made even worse when I had suspicions that he was growing to like the informal leader, a dark-skinned young woman named Steila. These thoughts came to me first when he was helping her deactivate a practice Droideka. The way he held her from behind made me feel uncomfortable and oddly betrayed.

Perhaps he didn't love me.

"Great." I mumbled aloud.

I still loved him though, all through the small attacks on the droids after infiltrating the capital city of Isis. I didn't know what to think, though, since after I helped them blow up a power generator, she unashamedly hugged him, daring to call him handsome in front of me. I didn't know his view was for _sure_, because his thoughts were too clouded. She obviously liked him though. And that was too far.

Freeing the true king, King Dendap, from execution, and launching a full-scale attack against the droids was done only as a comrade.

I felt pity for Lux once more, though, after the death of Steila. He cared for her, but not in the way I had assumed.

Following the funeral and celebration ceremony after the liberation of Onderon, I went to the hideout and packed up the few things I brought.

Lux arrived soon after me with the same intentions. I wanted to talk to him, so I went to his room and knocked on the door.

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. The Right Words

**Alrighty, here's a juicy chapter. WARNING: PART OF THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MILD FOREPLAY. 14+ PLEASE.**

**Lux's Point of View**

A soft knock put my many thoughts to the back of my mind, and I came to my senses. Losing Steila… was not easy to take. Most of my thoughts focused on her. I don't know what I'm going to do without her. A good friend, or, perhaps, something more… had been at work. I didn't understand the meaning of her loss, really. Now I truly had been denied everything. My father and mother, my home, and now, my best friend. A feeling of destitution swept over me, though all this happened in a moment.

I opened the door, and was surprised to see… her. "Ahsoka… are you alright?" She looked very troubled.

"Can I talk to you, Lux?" She ventured quietly.

"I… suppose so. Come on in."

She came inside and, once the door closed, slowly said, "I'm… sorry about Steila… I know you were close to her."

In a flash I realized, behind her mask of words, what she meant by that comment.

"Well… we were… somewhat close, but forgetting such a beautiful creature such as yourself caused me to stay on the safe side." I smiled, but she blushed a deep red. Turning away, she mentioned,

"Are you just saying that to keep me on your good side, or because you really mean it?"

"Well, will this prove anything to you?"

With that, I turned her shoulder towards me and kissed her passionately. She broke away after a few seconds of indescribable bliss, and again denied my sincerity by asking me,

"How do I know you didn't do that with Steila?"

"Because I wouldn't feel safe cheating on a Jedi. Being hunted down by a girl would be embarrassing enough, especially over another woman."

I sighed and sat down on the bed, and leaned my head back until it touched the wall, with one knee up. I had felt a flash of feelings towards Steila, and that only deepened my pain. Now the one person I couldn't live without, Ahsoka, was thinking I was cheating on her. A tear spilled down my cheek. Why was everything falling to pieces?

Ahsoka noticed it, and walked over towards me. She could sense what I was feeling. An unfortunate consequence of loving a jealous Jedi. She stood at me and looked down right into my eyes. Her gaze was hypnotizing. My thoughts jerked me out of the pain long enough for me to lean forward and brush the tear off. I was not about to let Ahsoka see me cry.

"Listen, I believe you. I love you, Lux… don't forget that." With that, she sat on my legs, and looked deep into my eyes.

She slowly lowered herself onto my chest, but I was still propped up on the back of the bed.

"Wait, Ahsoka."

"What?"

"Are you sure this is what you want? This is a serious matter, not lightly considered. I don't really want to be responsible for the consequences."

"Well… do you want me?"

I thought for a moment. "Yeah, I do."

"And I want you. Get it now?"

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"Just think of it as a deep bond. It's not easily broken. And a promise."

"Sounds good to me." I said quietly.

I kissed her passionately, while I ran my finger along her sides. She moaned against the kiss, so I drifted my hand to her breast area. I slowly undid her shoulder straps, breaking the kiss only once.

I started to pulled down her dress, but she stopped me, and blushed. "Don't be shy, I won't bite." I smirked. She allowed me to continue, and I gasped at their beauty as I pulled the dress down further. It was then that the most embarrassing thing in my life occurred.

The door opened.

It was Anakin Skywalker.

Ahsoka's eyes went wide.

He looked at me straight in the eyes. His gaze was like a lightsaber through the heart.

He spoke in a hard tone which made my insides freeze. "What the - are you two doing?!"

I set Ahsoka to the side, while she was in a state of shock. He eyed me, and growled,

"Two creatures are in very… big… trouble. Wouldn't you agree - Lux Bonteri?"

**Thanks for reading, and don't forget a review!**


	9. No Escape

**Ok, here's the end of the cliffhanger, like you've all been asking about. Lemme know what you think.**

No Escape

I waited just outside the door. There was no escape from Master Skywalker's wrath. I had been firmly ordered to leave the building, and stay just outside until Master Skywalker told me to come back in. Several minutes had passed, that had seemed like hours. Ahsoka was waiting in a different building. Perhaps he was meditating, or just thinking of the right words to say.

As these thoughts and a billion others passed through my mind, I hardly noticed the clone trooper that had exited and walked towards me, until he spoke.

"General Skywalker will see you now." I thanked him, and he walked away. I slowly entered the building while feeling the jedi's anger flowing from him. I felt as though my life would end on the spot. I rested my hands on the back of a couch, looking down.

There was a long pause before he sighed with exasperation. "We'll start with square one. I understand the way you feel about Ahsoka. I have good guesses she doesn't feel much different about you than you about her, either. I can't deny feelings. Though they may be misplaced, or even incorrect entirely…" I fidgeted. That wasn't true. At least I had believed it wasn't. "…I can't stop them. But you have to realize, there are serious consequences to something like this; a sexually transmitted disease, pregnancy, or even the possibility of her being expelled from the Jedi Order." This was exceedingly ironic, considering I had indicated the same things only minutes before.

He continued, "Is that what you want for her?" Even without looking up, I felt his icy glare piercing through my flesh. "Lux Bonteri! I asked you a question. And you will answer it to my face." That was what I feared most.

I slowly brought my head up to face his stone cold features. "Master Jedi… I… know I was wrong… she was just… so…" But then my voice trailed off into a strangled sob.

His face softened slightly. "Alright, I know what you're saying. But, I must make myself _very _clear to you now. I do not ever… _ever_… want you near my padawan in that way…. ever again. I am charged not only with her training, but her safety… and privacy." I looked down again. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen. But, thank the stars, we hadn't really got together. Though telling Master Skywalker that while facing his fury would have been… difficult… to say the least.

"Now, if you will excuse yourself from this establishment, I need to talk to my padawan as well." I quickly obeyed, but pitied Ahsoka facing him.

**Ahsoka's Point of View**

My master asked me inside, following a lecture with Lux. I was surprised to not see his body lying on the floor, considering the amount of fury he somehow managed to contain. I sat on a piece of furniture, staring at the floorboards. He paused a few moments that passed like they were hours, then spoke.

"Ahsoka…. I sensed this was not Bonteri's fault… am I correct?" I nodded.

He let out a sigh, and then continued. "Listen… why did you do this? You know it was not right. A disease, or a baby, or your dismissal from the Order… you put it all on the line… or even disregarded it all… for your feelings?"

"Master… we didn't… really… it just… it's just that I… I—I-" He stopped me.

"You love him. Got that part. But, that doesn't excuse this. Glad I caught you in time before you committed the worst mistake of your life, then. I am charged with you, Ahsoka –"

"You control my life! So does the Jedi! I can't have attachments because of this _useless_ order! I'm not allowed to do what I want with someone I love, so all I get to do is listen to your endless flak about how you are 'protecting me'? What about what I want? Do you even care?!"

"Ahsoka!"

My head went down again. "Alright, do what you want! If you don't care about my judgment calls, then fine, go have sex with him, for all I care! But one day, you _will_ realize that I am not doing this to control you. I'm doing this because I care for you." He calmed down.

"That's… all I want you to understand, Snips."

With that, he dismissed himself from the room.

**Anakin Skywalker's Point of View**

I walked out of the room, listening to her soft crying. What am I going to do with her? I can't stop their feelings, but why do things always end up like this? And now, she's going to be even more snippy than usual, and Lux probably doesn't think very highly of me, either.

Teenagers. Eventually, they all start thinking with their pants. Why does it take so long to just grow up?

Although, I must remember to thank Rex for being ahead of schedule for Ahsoka's pickup, or there might have been a big problem.

I might have one on my hands anyway, though.

**Like how I ended it? Good.**

**One more thing: I have good news and I have bad news.**

**The bad news is I will be stopping this story for a while. **

**The reason for this is the good news. I'm stopping this story so that I can create another story, which will eventually coincide with this one, but the protagonist will be a character invented by me. It's gonna be epic, so hopefully any whiners will keep quiet, haha. **

**Keep on the lookout for the other story!**


	10. The Council's Duty

**Oops, forgot about this chapter. The Council's gonna deal with Ahsoka. **

**Also, please let me know if I should either continue the story after this with the new character that has virtually no introduction, or should I just continue his biography?**

**Thanks!**

**Ahsoka's Point of View**

The Council's Duty

Last night was the night Lux and I were caught and lectured by my Master. I was on the bridge of the Republic Cruiser _Resolute_, shortly after jumping into hyperspace. I was on my way back to Coruscant; and my inevitable punishment initiated by the Council. I still didn't regret what Lux and I were doing, though Skyguy is still furious at the incident. Hardly speaking to me, I felt that it would be a long time before I could regain his trust. I understood he was trying to help me, but he had done the same thing with Padme many times, I'm sure.

I turned and walked down to my quarters. Questions swarmed like venom-mites around rotting womp rat. What was I going to say to the Council? What would be my punishment? Would my master trust me again? Would Lux leave me? Could things get any worse?

I opened the door to my quarters and sat heavily down on the edge of the bed. I was not going to be able to talk my way out of this one. The only thing I could hope for was that the Council would be lenient. Best case scenario, I would be put on guard duty in the Archives for an extended period of time. Worst case scenario, I would be expelled and disgraced. The options between the two were nearly endless.

A single tear spilled down my cheek. I jumped when the door buzzed. I opened it; it was Skyguy. "I need to talk to you, Ahsoka."

"Ok… come in."

He came in and I sat in a rolling chair. He crossed his arms, and didn't say anything for a few moments. His features showed he was conflicted, and distraught.

"Are you ok, Master?" I asked.

He took a deep breath, and began his statement. "I know how you feel about Bonteri. And I know you are upset that you are going to be punished appropriately by the Council."

"… and?" I asked, impatiently.

"I just didn't know if you understood that this is for the best."

"For the best?! Ok, so I take the fall for having a natural tendency and a long-nurtured feeling that was well thought out, while you testify against me, even though you have a wife?!" I exploded.

"Ahsoka, listen to me! I am just doing this for your own protection. It's one thing to be married, fully capable of making correct decisions, and doing such acts. It's a whole different thing to be doing something like that with a guy you haven't known more than a year, while you are too young and unmarried. It was dangerous, and I'm doing this for your own good!"

"Ok then, fine, I can just tell the Council that you're married to a _senator_, kept it secret, and have most likely _slept_ with her!"

"So you're going to blackmail me?"

"If it would help my case, why not?"

He took another deep breath, to cool his anger. "Alright, I'll do what I can to help you. But remember, you own me."

"No, just call it even."

"Even?! With what?!"

"All the countless times I've completed the mission, distracted Ventress, Grievous, Dooku, droids, insurgents, and the many times I've saved your life."

He thought for a moment. "Ok, be that way. But this isn't over."

With that, he turned and walked out.

I was in the temple, just outside the Council chamber. Though they were on the other side of the door, I could hear them clearly.

"Master Skywalker, have a problem, do you?" Master Yoda asked.

"Yes, my masters. There has been an… incident… while Padawan Ahsoka Tano was executing the mission on Onderon."

"Do continue, Master Skywalker." Mace Windu told him, after a pause.

"It appears my padawan has… very strong attachments to a particular rebel on Onderon."

I sensed that everyone exchanged looks with each other, since they all knew very well that jedi were forbidden to have attachments. "From this conclusion, what facts have you?" Yoda inquired.

"I… discovered them… in bed."

There was a commotion in the chamber. This was a serious matter, and I was doomed.

"But… I am not sure how harsh punishment or expelling her will solve her attachment to him."

"Show her in, you shall. Speak with her, we must." Yoda instructed. I quickly sat down on a bench, just as the door opened.

"They're waiting for you, Snips."

This was it. Time to endure the ceremony of expelling a jedi from the Order. I walked in.

There was a deafening silence in the room. Then Master Windu spoke. "Padawan Tano, do you or do you not have a strong relationship with the insurgent Lux Bonteri?"

"Yes…. My masters." I replied.

He stared straight into my eyes. He was searching for any secrets I might be withholding. Then he sat back in his chair and sighed. "We must give some thought to the appropriate punishment, or whether you are worthy to remain in the Order. Please exit for a few moments."

I quickly obeyed, and waited just outside the door. Only this time, I paced nervously up and down the hall. I felt that every pore in my body was sweating.

The minutes seemed like lifetimes. Until, finally, I was called back in.

Mace Windu leaned forward again, and spoke. "We have made our decision."

**Thanks for reading!**

**There will be another chapter in a day or so here.**


	11. The Reborn

**I decided I'd just continue the story with the new character, without his bio. This is a long chapter, but I'm sure you'll love it.**

The Reborn

I listened intently. This was it.

"We have concluded it is not the correct punishment to expel you from the Order."

Incredible! I was staying in the order! I wanted to jump and shout for joy, I could barely contain my emotions. But… what about my punishment?

"As a serious warning, you will be placed as commanding officer on patrol upon the planet Xanius."

Xanius? It can't be. That's a primitive planet, known for its nearly uninhabitable jungles, and number of creatures bent solely on killing other beings. There wasn't any interest in that planet; it wasn't in any key hyperspace lanes; it couldn't be used as a checkpoint for strategic attacks… it was essentially useless.

Master Windu continued, "You will report, once there, to Colonel Appo. He has reported strange activity that isn't from the local wildlife. You will send out patrols until the threat is uncovered."

That's ridiculous. I'm sure it's all just a hoax to get me to go there excited. But, might as well just ask about it. "What kind of suspicious activity are we talking about?"

"Mostly communication interference, but there has been security system blackouts and late-night tampers with computer software."

Seeing my confusion, he broke it down. "For the most part, someone, or, some_thing_, is hacking computers late at night. We need to find out who." I nodded in affirmation.

"Oh, and one more thing. You will be accompanied by Padawan Learner Barriss Offee." Barriss? Great! It will be very good to see her again. I haven't seen her since the Second Battle of Geonosis.

"As you wish, my Masters." I replied, and walked out.

Hardly an hour later, I was onboard the ship, in my quarters. I powered on my holodiary, and went to a page about a year ago. It was the day I met Lux.

"_Dear Diary,_

_These are strange times. I have, through a myriad of extraordinary events, found myself staying in a home on Raxus, a Separatist planet. I've hated nearly every minute of being here. There's battle droids I can't destroy, traitors I can't bring to justice, and, to top it all off, I'm staying in a house with a guy that has a crush on me. This is utterly ridiculous. Hopefully Padme and I will leave tomorrow, following her CIS meeting to discuss peace terms. _

_Until next time,_

_Ahsoka Tano_

My face lit up when I subtly mentioned Lux. I wonder what's become of him. He talked about joined the Republic; did he mean it? Maybe, if I meet him again, I'll find out.

I smiled. He had grown from a boy that had no sense of fashion, not very socially or intellectually gifted, to a young, strong man; powerful in appearance and strong in will. How war changes everyone, in more ways than one. I chuckled softly to myself. I had fallen in love with what was, at that time, an enemy. How we have gone through so much… together. I "flipped" to the photographic section of my diary. There was a smirking picture of him amidst many other pictures.

The door buzzed. I figured it was a clone asking my assistance on the bridge, so I didn't bother hiding the holodiary. I opened it; it was Barriss!

"Hi Barriss… what you up to?" I asked.

"Not too much. Just wanted someone to keep me company, and clones can only go so far." She replied with a smirk.

"Sure, c'mon in." I told her. She walked inside, and I sat back on the bed. She sat in a chair, and asked me a military question.

"Did you read the brief on our mission?"

"Sort of. I mean, I was briefed in a Council meeting."

"Do you actually think someone's trying to steal information?"

"Not really. It's probably something totally explainable; but Colonel Appo will fill us in once we get there, so we'll find out."

"I'm just going to be prepared, in case there is someone intruding on a military base."

I sighed heavily. What a boring job. Then Barriss looked down at one side of the bed, and saw the holodiary, with the picture of Lux enlarged on the screen.

"Who's that?" She motioned to the diary. I blushed and tried to hide the diary.

"Don't worry, Ahsoka, I can keep a secret. Show me."

I knew she was trustable, and it was almost cute to see her so inquisitive. My face still red, I reluctantly handed her the diary. She looked at the picture and smiled.

"He's handsome." I blushed deeper.

"I… guess so."

"How do you know him?"

"We've been through a lot. Met him on a Separatist planet while trying to make a treaty with the Separatists. He was a lot stranger then. We ended up on Carlac after he foolishly made a deal with the Death Watch to avenge his dead mother. We almost got killed several times there before we managed to escape. Then, met him again while freeing a planet from the tinnies."

"That's a lot of "we"s. Is he nice?"

"For the most part. Truthfully… I have feelings for him. In fact, we almost…" I stopped.

"You almost… what?"

"Never mind."

She looked at my eyes. She knew what had nearly happened. "That's a serious act, Ahsoka."

I turned away. I already knew that.

I asked, "Have you ever felt something… strong for someone? Maybe even far enough to consider that you… loved someone?"

She brightened. "Yes. He's very easy on the eyes… smart, strong, you know the drill. He's rough to everyone, even the other girls, save for me. I may have had feelings for him."

"What happened to him?"

"I don't know for sure. He and his sister went back to their home planet about a year ago."

"What's his name?"

She thought for a moment. "Saw. Saw Gerrera, if I remember correctly."

I smiled. "He was on Onderon, fighting alongside the man on that holodiary picture."

She straightened up. "What happened to him? Is he alright?"

"As far as I know. Although… his sister was killed."

She looked down. "I hope he'll be ok."

One hour later…

"Colonel, can you give us some specific information on the possible intruder? Our briefings were very general, not in much detail." I asked Colonel Appo on the surface.

"We don't have any hard evidence to say there _is_ an intruder, but we have guesses. The last few nights there have been unexplained blackouts, and the access codes on the panels were tampered with. I don't believe that whoever did this broke the codes yet, though."

"Has it been consistent?"

He nodded. "Every few nights the cameras go out, as well as some power. Some sort of electro-magnetic surge."

I looked at Barriss. "Barriss, could you loosen security tonight? I want to set a trap for this intruder."

She nodded. "Are you sure you want to deal with the intruder on your own? He's not a dimwit, as far as I can tell."

"I'm sure. I'll be in the control room, instead of clones. Colonel, by the way, why isn't there tight security in the control room?"

He fidgeted. "Well, Commander, the men… get pretty tired." He said nervously. Well, it seems living beings need rest, even if they are hardcore soldiers.

That night, I waited for the intruder. There were less clones on duty, and it was a dark night. Perfect for an intruder to infiltrate the base.

The hours went by, and only the sounds of the midnight jungle broke the silence. Why was I here? I could be in the Temple, talking to friends, having fun, or out on a real mission, not sitting here in a shadowy corner waiting for some phantom being to steal data. Perhaps I should get a wink of sleep. The whole night had been blank, why should the intruder come now?

My eyes began to flutter, until I was drifting into sleep. Then a strange powering down noise was heard. My eyes shot open, and I felt someone near the door. It slowly opened. I activated a power device, the lights burst on, and leapt to him; lightsabers activated. I simultaneously sealed the door to cut off his escape.

He wasn't alarmed in the slightest. He was wearing worn Mandalorian armor, but it had many extra devices and attachments all over it.

"Who are you?" I demanded of him.

His helmet prevented him revealing his identity, but he was clearly very strong and agile. He reached behind his waist and pulled out two identical rods. He pressed a button on each of them and they shot to life. They were extremely dangerous electric whips. Very hard to use, and quite expensive, too.

He spoke through a voice scrambler. "I have no name. Though, I prefer… The Reborn." With that, he swung the whips.

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	12. Night of Tears

**Here's the end of the cliffhanger. This is a sad chapter, but will prove essential in the storyline.**

I quickly parried the stroke, but only just missed the second whip. I lunged at him, but he swung the first whip in a blinding arc that shocked my side. I cried out in pain and fell. Panting, I jumped up and whirled my lightsabers in a deadly razor attack, with both blades turning rapidly at my sides. Just before he was going to strike me again with both whips, I ran and slid along the floor, lashing out as the two whips sliced above me. I caught one, and it fell to the ground, cut clean in half. I got up and slashed expertly at point blank range at his chest, but he had just enough time to deliver a hard kick to the head.

He walked up to me as I lay crumpled on the floor from the kick, still half paralyzed from the powerful blow. He picked up a lightsaber, and spoke.

"Well, I guess I could make a profit from this… two lightsabers…" He picked up the other, "…And a beautiful servant." He smiled evilly.

All of the sudden, the door flew off its hinges and slammed into the man's back. He fell heavily on the floor just feet from me.

I had since recovered from the blow, and stood up coughing. The dust cleared, and revealed a frightened Barriss.

"Ahsoka, are you alright?" She asked.

I pointed to the man that was just getting up, and he pushed the door off his back with one powerful shove. I immediately lunged at him and brought a flying kick to rest on the wrist of the hand that held my primary lightsaber. He instinctively dropped it, and I snatched it before it hit the ground.

Barriss and I activated our lightsabers, and he activated my shoto (Short lightsaber). He was not force sensitive, and beat a hasty retreat after a few sloppy slices that were parried and counterattacked. He ran out the door and into the hallway where he descended upon a squad of unlucky troopers. With a few small arcs, they all were on the ground, dead as stones. He burst through the door with ease and fled into the endless jungle.

"Barriss, quick, we can't let him get away!" I shouted. She didn't even need my comment, as she was already darting out of the building in hot pursuit.

As we ran farther away from the complex, the lighting grew very dim, and we soon lost sight of him. Nonetheless, we followed in his general direction until we entered into the dark Wild. A few clicks on, we halted and looked around. We could sense he was near.

His maniacal laugh echoed through the dark foliage. "You should have stayed where you were safe, Jedi!" He cackled.

A deafening and beastly howling suddenly erupted all around us. I knew that sound. They were Anoobas. Very dangerous beasts, about the size of a wolf, but more powerful and bone-chilling. One leaped out of the shadows, but was quickly decapitated with an expert flick of the wrist. Two more pounded like Gutkuurs out of the leafy tangle. That started the pack's main attack. Parry after stab after retreat after slice occurred to stop the endless grey flow of predators. Just before the last few were destroyed, the man jumped from the top of a tree, shoto activated, just between me and Barriss. He did a practiced spin kick, which caught me off guard and knocked the wind out of me when his foot slammed into my side. I hit the ground and never forgot what happened next.

As I lay on the ground, trying to get up and regain my stance, he turned to Barriss and mercilessly pounded my lightsaber onto hers. His strength caused Barriss to nearly lose her footing, and that was all he needed.

She was unbalanced and could not stop the jab of the lightsaber. Somehow, she diverted the blade to only hit part of her side, and she cried out in pain. With anger flowing from him, his second stab was unstoppable. He drove the lightsaber through her chest.

"_**BARRISS!**_" I screamed as he withdrew the shoto and she crumpled to the ground. Had I been in my right mind, I would have taken a very long time to get up. But a dark power; an anger that had no equal, pulled me up and forced me to slice in a downward motion as I came down upon the murderer. He screamed in agony as his severed arm, cut at the shoulder dropped to the jungle floor. He absentmindedly through a smoke grenade and rocketed far into the jungle.

He was gone. I staggered to Barriss's still form and dropped to my knees. Tears streaming down my face, I whispered brokenly, "Barriss… please… don't leave me here…"

I sobbed once, and spoke again, "Don't go where I can't follow…"

She didn't respond. She was dead. Through it all, she had been my friend, always there for me. She had been my _best_ friend… but now she was gone. I collapsed beside her and blacked out.

The next thing I knew, I was in a bright room. My eyes gradually opened, and I could hear talking, faintly. I fully regained consciousness and shot up. I was in a medical bay, probably back on Coruscant. The room was nearly empty, save for my master speaking with the medical droid at the far side of the medical bay, near the door.

Seeing me awake, he ran over to me. He was quite worried.

"Ahsoka, lie back down. You need to rest." I slowly lowered myself back onto the bed as the night's events flooded back to me.

"Are you alright?" He asked, worriedly.

I looked at him, tears spilling uncontrollably down my face.

"No. No, I'm not. He killed her. I was supposed to watch her back, but I watched her die, instead. He murdered her… he murdered… her…"

He whispered, "I know. I'm so sorry, Ahsoka…" But then his voice faded and darkness took me again.

**Please leave a review; I hope you won't say this chapter's bad just because Barriss dies.**


	13. Deep Comfort

**Here's Barriss's funeral and many tears. But, someone special is there to comfort Ahsoka…**

Deep Comfort

I was inside the Departed Souls Room in the very center of the Jedi Temple. Master Yoda was performing a funeral speech at the death of Barriss.

"Strong in the Force, she was. Mourn her, we do. Though forever, her spirit endures. Pain, her death causes. But move on, we will." With that, he waved his hand lightly over the tomb's entrance, and the blanket-covered body descended to its final resting place. Her Force aura created a thin orange beam from her grave to the ceiling, just after the tomb closed.

Master Skywalker turned to me, and kneeled on one knee. "I know you were close to her, Ahsoka. But remember, we can't bring her back. I won't stop you from mourning her, but, in time, you will have to work past your pain, and do what Master Yoda says. Move on. It's hard, I know, but it is essential." With that, he got up and walked slowly out of the room with the rest of the jedi.

I stayed. I stared at the beam, tears welling up behind my eyes. Flashbacks took me to the tank on Geonosis, the brain worms, and so many other instances. My memory stopped when, aboard the medical supply ship, she asked,

"_Kill me… please… please… please…"_

The 'please' echoed in my mind until I cried out in agony and fell to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably. My tears fell on the entrance of her resting place.

"I failed you Barriss. I'm so sorry. I was supposed to be with you always, and I failed you…"

I don't know how long I sat there crying. Ages, maybe.

Finally, I got up, my cheeks stained with tears and my eyes red. My heart was empty. I walked to my room, without speaking to anyone. I closed the door, and collapsed on my bed, and began sobbing again. Suddenly, the door opened. My back was turned, so I couldn't see who it was, but I felt a very soothing presence.

It was Lux.

"Ahsoka…" He walked over to me as the door closed behind him. I was on my side, still crying. He put his warm hand on my side, and spoke again.

"Ahsoka, don't cry… It's alright…"

**Lux's Point of View**

She sat up, and looked into my eyes; an intense sorrow flecking her blue eyes.

"Listen, don't worry, it'll be alright." I smiled. "I'm here… for you." She leapt up and embraced me deeply. I hugged her back as she sobbed near my shoulder. She stood back slightly, and released me. I ran the back of my fingers along a montral. I leaned forward and kissed her lightly. She pulled me close and kissed me deeply. I traced my finger down her back. Her breath hitched against the kiss.

I broke apart, and she spoke. "I love you Lux… thank you for being there for me…" She trailed off.

_**WARNING: Some intense foreplay in this chapter. 14+ please.**_

"I'm not going to make the girl I love go through such pain alone." I smiled again. She smiled back. I kissed her again, but this time my hand drifted up to her shoulder straps, and undid them. She broke apart, and I sat on the bed. She descended upon me, and half pinned me to the bed. I slipped the top of her outfit off, and gasped again at her breasts.

"What do you think?" She whispered. I massaged one and whispered back,

"They're perfect." She lowered onto my chest and slipped a hand under my shirt. I sighed contentedly. Slowly, she removed the shirt and smirked.

"Someone's been working out." I smirked.

"It's great being buff… for many reasons." I kissed her as she lay on top of me. I drifted my hand to her skirt and pulled my lips back.

"Should this come off?" She nodded, and I slid it down. I flipped over so I was on top of her, and backed up so I was looking at her womanhood.

"Why, that's even better." I said, motioning to her entrance. She blushed, and lowered my head to kiss it. She groaned in pleasure. I greatly enjoyed her reaction, and planted many kisses all over it, listening to her soft moans. I then inserted a single finger into her. She arched her back and moaned louder. I started pumping the finger in and out. She was getting restless. I pumped two, then three fingers in until she was almost shouting.

**Third Person Omniscient**

She was almost screaming with ecstasy. She felt a strange heat in the lower regions she hadn't felt before. Something unknown was about to happen. She screamed at the top of her lungs as she came. He pulled his fingers out and smiled at her. She was still shaking from her first intense orgasm.

"That was… incredible." She panted.

Lux ventured, "Should we… never mind."

"What?

"You know…"

She thought for a moment. "Let's wait until the time is right. I'm sure the war will end soon, and we can be together. We'll get married, then we'll get together."

"It's your call. I won't do anything that will make you uncomfortable."

"Right now, what matters is that foreplay is a great mind relaxer." She said, and smirked.

"Indeed."

A few hours later…

Lux walked up to Ahsoka as she was trodding through the Temple's halls. She brightened.

He had sadness in his eyes that made her smile disappear. "Is… something wrong?"

"I… may not see you again."

She gasped. "Why not?"

"I have very important missions I must complete, in the far Outer Rim. I fear I may not get to see you again."

She pulled him close and pressed her lips against his. She backed up a step and whispered,

"Wait for me."

He smiled warmly and replied, "I will. Always."

Then, he turned and plodded slowly away.

Ahsoka smiled. She knew he would wait for her. And there wasn't anyone in the galaxy that could tear them apart.

**Lux and Ahsoka may meet again, only time will tell! Please leave reviews.**


	14. The Man of the Shadows

**Decided to give a sort of backstory on The Reborn. Some pieces will fit together here. I love this character, hope you will too.**

Reborn awoke in a crude medical bay. His head was throbbing, and he could not feel his left arm. Then the realization of the past night's events hit him. Having his arm cut off, blacking out constantly while going back, killing that jedi whelp… but he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time in remembering the look of horror and pain in the Togruta jedi's eyes when he took out the hooded one.

The scream echoed to the darkest corners of his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling of pain that that scream had uncovered in the forbidden corners of his heart. He recalled the Battle of Sarrish. Seeing Hawk, Tailhead, K-Eye, and so many others fall. They all just… died. He watched them all die, before he was hit himself with a rocket.

No one could understand how he survived that rocket with only a few broken bones. But there was one thing that was permanently broken. His soul. Everyone man he cared about was lying there on the ground, cold and dead. The nights of agony reverberated through his soul.

But one clone remained that he cared about, or so he hoped. Captain Gregor may yet be alive; they led their elite squads in a strike mission, but all fell.

On top of that, he had caused the same pain to a very attractive Togrutan. Even as a jedi, he could feel her wanton lust for revenge.

"Lie back again sir. I must finish the prosthetic initiation sequence." The medical droid spoke through his thoughts. He just realized he had a mechanical arm being activated.

He almost wished he could at least apologize to that girl… to clear the remnants of his conscience. He pushed the feeling to the back of his mind, telling himself,

"_What am I thinking? I'm a ruthless assassin. Compassion cannot exist."_

Reborn, as you may have guessed, was a clone. But his path was very different than that of his brothers. He was the only clone in the galaxy that was Force-sensitive. He led K-Squad, the most advanced team of clones ever created. His power and anger made him nearly unstoppable.

His true name was Snake. Captain Snake. Or at least, that's what all his brothers had called him. From an early age, he possessed a very short temper, and immense strength. He was the initiator of many brawls during the years of his youth. More often than not he was on KP duty rather than attending the weekend boxing matches, which he had craved.

He quickly rose to the attention of his commanders, and, after saving Commander Cody, was promoted to Lieutenant of a commando squad. He performed many acts of bravery, resourcefulness, and cunning. He was sly and quick, so everyone nicknamed him Snake, after Earth's series of serpents.

After the torturous death of his Captain, he was automatically promoted to Captain, and broke his team out of Separatist prison. His rank as Captain stood.

He had many adventures as Captain, but that's… another story.

After seeing everyone die, he deserted the army and wandered aimlessly, until learning valuable skills from a bounty hunter named Bane.

He killed Bane with ease after learning all he could from him. He called that "tying off loose ends." He came across, incredibly by chance, a full set of shining Mandalorian armor. It was rumored to be the armor of a dangerous bounty hunter that fell at the hands of a jedi.

He modified it, and painted it a dark green color. After completing many risky missions for an overwhelming number of scumbags, he bought a pair of Electro-Whips, and trained himself to use them.

His latest mission as a wandering assassin was to retrieve information on Republic troop movement near the planet Raxus. He chose the nearly-deserted base on Xanius to find that information. He nearly broke the codes when those two jedi attacked him.

"I am finished. Attempt to move your hand, please." The droid said. He moved the metal fingers, and practiced using the arm. It was sleek, and it pleased him greatly.

His employer, a notorious hutt by the name of Jabba, came through the door.

He spoke in Huttese. Roughly translated, he asked,

"Why didn't you get my information?"

He replied, "I lost an arm."

"Now that you have it back, I need you for another mission, since you could not complete the last."

He sat up and stood. "What kind of mission?"

Jabba asked. "Have you ever heard of Hondo Ohnaka?"

**Cliffhanger! Please leave reviews.**


	15. Old Friends?

**Here's a Hondo chapter. Not too much gonna happen, but I needed a formal confrontation before I executed the next part of my story.**

"General." Anakin Skywalker looked up from his datapad. It was Rex.

"You need something, Rex?" He asked casually.

"Yes sir. The Jedi Council would like to see you in the hologram room. Someone's on to talk to you and General Kenobi, sir."

He sighed and got up. "I hope it's not another planet that's been taken over."

Rex replied, "It's not, sir. He said he was an old friend. Didn't know you had pirate friends, if you don't mind me saying so, sir."

"Let's not keep him waiting, then."

They walked to the Hologram Room, and Anakin entered into the room occupied only with a hologram of Hondo and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He closed the door and crossed his arms upon reaching the hologram. "Hondo. What do you want?" He asked, slightly annoyed.

"Oh, yes, you act like I'm an enemy after I was a delivery boy for you, and saved your snippy friends?! How hospitable."

"Just tell us what you want, Hondo." Skywalker asked impatiently.

"First, you lose me a promising bounty on the Sith Lord, then another bounty on Sillum, then the Sith Lord blows up my base, and I get attacked again by two crazies, then I'm delivery boy, and now, look what you've done! You've brought another crazy man to my home! Calls himself a bounty hunter, named The Reborn, and that he's trying to kill me! For being a delivery boy for you, I demand you come and get rid of this crazy before _all _my men are dead!"

"You're too weak to deal with a bounty hunter, but you outsmart a Sith? Where's that Hondo I used to know?" Skywalker taunted.

"I don't have all rotation, Jedi. Are you going to help me, or not?"

Anakin sighed. "Alright, but no more favors. I don't like being affiliated with scum."

"You still don't think I'm more than just a pirate? Impossible Jedi." The hologram powered down.

"Guess we'll have to find out what's going on over there. Can't believe we have to deal with Hondo again though."

"Who's The Reborn?" Kenobi asked.

"You're asking _me_?" Skywalker replied.

Kenobi sighed and started for the door. Anakin activated his comlink. _"This is Ahsoka."_ Came the voice from the other end.

"Snips, get the ship ready. We're supposed to save Hondo from someone called The Reborn."

There was silence. _"The Reborn?"_ Ahsoka quivered.

"Do you—" Anakin started to ask.

"_I'll meet you at the hangar."_ Ahsoka said quickly, and switched off the connection.

Anakin was slightly bewildered, but walked to the hangar. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan were already onboard, and the ship was powering up. He ran up the ramp that was retracting, and the ship blasted off soon after he boarded.

He sat down just behind Ahsoka and waited until they were in hyperspace to ask Ahsoka about The Reborn.

"Ahsoka."

She slowly swiveled her chair to face him.

"What do you know of The Reborn?" Anakin ventured.

A tear fell down her cheek. She heard the whoosh of her lightsaber as The Reborn plunged the blade through Barriss's chest. "He… he's the one who killed… Barriss…" She trailed off, brokenly.

Ahsoka had never answered anyone's questions about the death of Barriss, and so no one knew of The Reborn.

"He was the one breaking in to the base on Xanius. I tried to stop him, but he managed to get outside into the jungle, where he…" She couldn't stop a strangled sob escape her throat at recalling her death.

"I'm sorry." Anakin said quietly.

The rest of the trip was spent in silence. After a few hours, they came out of hyperspace to Florrum. They immediately saw the problem. There was a ship that was forcibly docking on Hondo's command disk ship. Ahsoka hit the accelerator and they sped towards the enemy ship.

"I'm gonna do something crazy." Ahsoka said.

She docked onto the enemy ship.

"What are you doing, Snips?!" Anakin shouted.

"We have to run through that ship to get to Hondo!" Ahsoka yelled back. They docked, and the security doors opened. The enemy ship was vacant. They dashed through the small ship, drawn by the sound of blaster fire. They ended up just behind a staggering amount of Separatist droids… led by The Reborn. He was walking right through the middle of the battle.

"Stop!" Ahsoka screamed.

Reborn was the only one who paid mind. He turned and Force-pushed them back. Ahsoka was the one who got up first.

He pulled out her shoto that he had taken. "You mind want this back." He said, and tossed it to her. She caught it neatly in her left hand, and activated it simultaneously with her primary.

They all were up now; lightsabers flaring to life.

To everyone's surprise, he pulled out two double-bladed lightsabers, one blue and one green, just like… Master Krell's. He flipped some buttons on them and they blazed with life.

"Attack… Jedi." He said menacingly. They lunged and he did Ahsoka's signature razor attack. It was clear he was no ordinary bounty hunter when he knocked Anakin unconscious and was breaking Obi-Wan, following a short lightsaber match. Obi-Wan fell, quite stunned by his power.

He turned to Ahsoka. Ahsoka sensed something strange in him. There was something familiar about him. Her eyes widened, and she said,

"You're a clone."

She felt his smile. "Yes. You remember me, don't you?"

"Captain Snake… you disobedient bastard. You led your troopers with Gregor and got everyone killed!"

He screamed in hate and lunged at her. She was no match for his skill, strength, and hate. She, too, soon lay sprawled out on the ground. He raised his lightsaber to kill her.

Then, he felt her scream on Xanius once again. The look of horror. Her friend falling dead. He stumbled back, recalling his troopers falling. He turned and realized that Hondo's men had surrounded him after they destroyed his droids. There were too many, and the Jedi were getting up. He suddenly tossed several explosives, and everyone coughed and shouted in confusion until the smoke cleared. He was gone.

Ahsoka felt him. _"This isn't over."_ He spoke through the Force.

She knew it wasn't.

**Don't forget a review!**


	16. Mission of Doom

**Here's a funny chapter. I wouldn't say it's happy, but your jaw will drop at the end of this part of the story. Enjoy!**

**Ahsoka's Point of View**

Mission of Doom

It was six months after the run-ins with The Reborn. I never truly forgot Captain Snake. They said he committed suicide after the loss of his squad. Served him right. But, he just _had_ to come back.

In the meantime, I had a very important mission to complete, just a few months from the Trials. Although, being 18 isn't all it's cracked up to be. The mission was that I had to enter The Citadel for the second time, but with a deadly twist. I was to go alone. No support, no Master, no team, no nothing.

"Ahsoka! Quit your daydreaming and focus." My master said impatiently. He was briefing me on the plan. I looked up again and he continued,

"Remember, this information is vital to the Republic. They locked it up in the Citadel, and they will only hold it there for one rotation, or until they break the codes. According to our sources, the information should be in a bunker, here, just below the tower itself." He motioned to a point on the hologram.

I questioned, "But why in the Citadel? Wouldn't it be better suited for a hidden database, or a space satellite?"

"We don't know all the details, Ahsoka. Information regarding items of military importance located in Separatist space is always sketchy. But, if you cannot bring the information back, you must destroy it." This was our one chance to retrieve the information.

I boarded the shuttle. This was it. It was life or death, and only seconds separated the two. I was to jump out of hyperspace on the opposite side of the planet while Admiral Yularen took the fleet to distract all blockade ships. It was crazy, but that was practically my master's middle name. I jumped into hyperspace, and took a deep breath. No turning back.

As an extra precaution, my ship would be cloaked. But once I got within a 1,000 – click radius of the Prison, I would be spotted. I would have a long walk to make.

The trip was not long. Once hyperspace deactivated, I scanned the space around the planet. Admiral Yularen was right on time, and was distracting most of the ships. Although, there was a few cruisers patrolling the space near my landing zone, so I would have to rely on my cloaking device, and the Force.

The cruisers did not open fire, so if they did spot me, they made no attempt to stop me. It was a desperate gamble, but, then again, the whole mission was a gamble.

I chuckled mirthlessly, since the place where I was told to land was the exact spot where I was extracted with Masters Kenobi and Skywalker, along with the clones. The island located in a sea of boiling sulphur. A cable got me across smoothly. As I walked alone across the forbidding landscape, I passed several sad memories, including the place where Master Piell was killed, but not without passing the Nexus Route coordinates to me.

The long walk took hours, and was quite tiring. There was no sun for this planet, and so no cheer from a sun lit up periodically. Just the intense heat from the sulphur lakes and the desolate landscape. No living creatures anywhere. After the long trek, I saw it.

The prison loomed ahead like a fortress of death. I had planted a sizeable bomb at the opposite end of my possible entrance point, for a second diversion. This would spoil the element of surprise, but I had to get in at any cost. Besides, if the information was irretrievable, I could eliminate it, and keep all secrets safe. Though, the information was quite valuable to the Republic, as well. I would do my very best to arrive back on Coruscant _with_ the data. My thoughts began to fade, and I could dimly make out the entrance point.

The entrance point was an air vent. Once I spotted it, I detonated the bomb. Moments later, alarms blared and 40 patrols of commando droids crossed to the site of the explosion. Meanwhile, I slipped past a few droid squads by dodging among rocks, finally coming upon the vent. It was small, but I was too. I was older, but my Master still called me "little one". Shows what he knows. But I climbed inside and wiggled my way through the vent. Upon reaching the area where the small vents met a larger vent, the razor-sharp security doors had shut. Cutting was hard work. Door after door was sliced through, down, down, down.

But, I eventually made it to the bottom level. Ray shields and criss-crossing laser beams were the precautions of the new droid commander of the fortress, Commander Bloshe (Pronounced Bl – oh – shh). He was cunning and resourceful, and did not possess the late Commander Sobeck's arrogance and stupidity. A new device that had been created I now had the chance to test.

It was called the M-12 EMP pulse emitter. It shot a wave of signal distortion in a short area to temporarily disrupt all power. It was made to recycle all systems in a small area for a few moments, but would only work a few times. I put it on the highest setting and activated it.

Well, it worked. The ray shield and lasers deactivated, and I rushed through. But then there was the worst part of the whole mission. There was only one guard. He was known as the Galak Mech. (Author's note: Some may recognize this mech. He is a formidable enemy in the PC game Jedi Outcast. I'm gonna change him around a bit, so no flak about this guy, please.)

It was a tan, armored beast of a droid, with a microburst shield. The shield could not be penetrated, blown up, deactivated, or absorbed. If you tried to touch the shield, it would short-circuit your nervous system or kill you on the spot, depending on your size. It was equipped with numerous instruments to maim and kill anything in its path. A network in itself, you could not jam its transmissions, so basically it was impossible to destroy. I dreaded him from the moment I received his information packet. Several droid squads had to be destroyed before I reached the entrance to the underground bunker.

Then I saw it.

He loomed there, guarding the ray shield that led to the chamber. This was the only entrance and exit, and no air vents existed here. My last gadget I had to try was the HDM (Holographic Disguise Matrix); a bounty hunter's dream tool. I backed up and activated the device. I would be disguised as a data droid, a high-tech droid that was an expert at breaking codes and flash-reading information. I slowly approached him. Once I was in view, he raised a blaster to destroy me. I stopped him hastily. "Halt. I am DD-G57. I am to assist in the retrieval of the data.

He lowered his weapon and asked, in a voice that chilled the spine, "Where are your orders?" I procured a small data pad containing forged orders that had been created only days before. He scanned them, then asked, "What is the passcode?"

I didn't know the passcode. I didn't even know there was one. I made a desperate bluff. Count Dooku's master's name was said to be Darth Sidious. "It is Sidious." I replied, firmly.

Incredibly, he let me through. The ray shield deactivated, and I entered.

I put away the HDM and destroyed the two commando droid chamber guards quietly. I quickly re-wired the access portal to open the door. Shortly after opening the door, I made a shocking discovery. The information wasn't in a computer, or on a data pad, or a microchip. It was contained in the mind of a man in the chamber, being mercilessly tortured. I dispatched the handful of torture droids there, and asked him,

"Sir, are you all right?" I asked. He didn't answer. He was in one of those suspended Jedi manacles that Master Piell and most jedi were held in. He suddenly seemed to recognize my voice and stopped panting. He looked up.

Though his face was pale and lacerated, I recognized him too. My eyes widened.

"Lux?"

"Ahsoka!" He shouted in glee.

**Now, what am I gonna say next? That's right, leave a review! Thanks!**


	17. The End of the Path

**Here's a confusing chapter. It won't make sense, but perhaps it will later. Don't worry, there is a little more to this story!**

"Lux… is that really you?" Ahsoka asked, thunderstruck.

"Yes… Ahsoka… it's… me…" He panted.

She knew he needed to get out of there, and fast. She could not, and would not destroy the information now, or she would never forgive herself as long as she lived.

She deactivated the manacles and he fell into her arms. She kissed him deeply and slung his arm over her shoulder, and limped to the door.

The door opened. It was Commander Bloshe. "Very clever, Jedi. Although, I must admit, your stupidity of giving a password when none existed was astounding, to say the least."

It had been a trick. He stepped to the side to reveal the Galak Mech. He raised his two arms that had chainguns attached to them, and fired. Lux jumped to one side, while Ahsoka dodged to the other. The blaster fire pinged everywhere. Ahsoka activated her lightsabers and did her best to block the angry bolts of red death. Lux had picked up a blaster and ran to the side of the room where Ahsoka was defending her position. As he sprinted, a laser pierced his chest.

He fell. No. It couldn't be. "_**LUX!**_" she screamed. A bolt hit her upper chest, and she fell just feet from him. She looked into his eyes. An intense hatred caused him to pick himself up and lunge at the Mech. It was then that her last thought turned out the lights and all went dark.

When she awoke, it was all dark. She felt her form being bumped along a rough surface. She was in a body bag. She could smell the sulphur getting closer. She was to be dumped into the molten lake. Her lightsabers were not on their belt. She suddenly remembered Lux going down. She remembered Barriss, clones, and so many others falling. All dying. Pain, tears, anger. Hate caused her to scream and push out with the Force. The bag tore into shreds and she dispatched the droid that was about to dump her into the lake. Her lightsabers were on the droid's waist.

She picked them up and stumbled aimlessly. After what seemed like a thousand lifetimes, she started to trudge in the general direction of her ship. The trip was the most pain-filled, miserable trek she had ever endured. Nothing but tears and destitution marked her path to the shuttle.

She could not feel Lux from afar. Her life was nearly spent. Through her haze of thoughts, she saw the ship. With a last burst of strength, she vaulted with extreme emotions over the sea of death. The ship was oddly untouched, but she didn't care.

The last memory she had was her master screaming her name in a bright room.

Everything was light. Purity echoed endlessly, and a presence of peace and serenity flowed through the soul. A voice, that flowed like the waters of Naboo, and as hard as Dooku's, like a thousand silver tongues rang in her ears.

"You must go back… you must… you… must…" She felt it was Lux's silky voice. Perhaps he was dead.

She woke up in a white room, with her master's face staring down, tear-stained.

**I beg you to **_**not**_**, I repeat, **_**NOT**_** leave a review for this chapter. It's incomprehensible and sad. So just read it and wait for an update… please.**


	18. The Pieces of Life

**Sorry that I haven't updated for a few days. Kinda had an issue with another user here. But, we'll start to get Ahsoka back on track in this chapter.**

Ahsoka was soon released from the Med Bay. She had suffered some damage to the head, and the emotional slash of losing Lux didn't help her recovery. She was now beginning to go to sleep without crying, and was picking up the pieces of life.

She walked through the Temple halls… meditating, thinking. The Force was powerful, and worked in mysterious ways. She recalled her master telling her she had been pronounced dead after being found in space, but then was alive again. Her blaster wound had since healed, and she searched daily for any news of Lux, dead or alive. She even pushed to go back to The Citadel, but was refused.

His life force could not be sensed, which usually meant he had passed on to the Place of Lights. She still had dreams about him. He would never truly leave her. Her soul longed to find him… or even data on his death. Perhaps he had been cast into the lake before her.

Why had all this happened? Surely it was for a greater purpose, but why so many deaths? Was this the reason that the Jedi forbid attachment? She was confused on what was attachment, and how it all fit together for a grand galactic design. She had been refused missions, for she needed to sort out her emotions before dealing with others… or so Master Yoda said.

She bumped into a teen. "I'm sorry." She spoke quickly, and looked up.

She smiled slightly when she recognized him. "Ahsoka, have you forgotten me already?" The boy asked.

"Kelt Wilar, why would I forget you? You almost got me killed." She smirked.

"True, but you forget I'm the one who helped you through the Padawan Trials 2 years before you were supposed to take them."

She rolled her eyes. Kelt was a little bit full of himself, but he was a good friend to have around, since they had grown up together. Kelt was a few years older than her, but he was still considered slightly childish in Ahsoka's mind. Still, a conversation with him was always lighthearted, and very few had trouble getting along with him.

He turned and motioned for her to follow him. She walked next to him, and he solemnly asked, "How are you holding up?"

She sighed. "Better than a few months ago, I guess. Still hard to lose so many close to you. Lux was the one who seemed to always be in the right place at the right time."

"What does that make me? The awkward Togrutan in the corner?" He chuckled.

"Would you please stop bringing that up? That was my first day in the Temple, and at the age of three, I wasn't exactly a social butterfly."

"It took you a year to talk to anyone."

"It did not!"

"Did too."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

She sighed again. "You're impossible."

"At least the first thing I did when someone teased me wasn't slapping them in the face."

"I apologized for that a decade ago. You know that."

"You bit me, too."

"I was six."

"Your gums have a neurotoxin in them. I spent a week in the Med Bay."

"I said I was sorry."

He chuckled. He never dropped anything embarrassing or hilarious anyone did, and Ahsoka was no different. They bickered like this for another good hour or so before ending up in the Hall. It was just the dignified name for the Jedi dining area.

"Essa bread as a side. Hey Ahsoka, do you remember that day a few years back, when you put the Essa bread—"

"I told you to forget that! I don't need to remember that. You told me that constantly."

"But wasn't Master Yoda's reaction—"

She slapped him across the cheek. "You talk about the Essa bread incident one more time, and I'll bite you again."

"Intimidation in the Temple, now?"

"Oh, get a grip. You were a tortured prisoner of Grievous once, you can live through a Togrutan bite."

He pulled up his sleeve to reveal a discolored spot on his arm. "I don't want another one like this, especially to ruin my handsome face."

She shoved him as he laughed. He visualized himself as being handsome, and Ahsoka always got tired of it.

And so life in the Temple began to regulate itself for our Ahsoka, and life began to hum its rhythm once again. But one thing changed forever. Her heart. It used to be warm and inviting. But now, all feelings within were kept there, and none could enter. After having part of it torn away, the gates that were eternally open were shut and locked.

In the center of the figurative garden was a tomb. One lay there, and all deep feelings lay with him. Love's journey seemed over, for a tomb was the end of all things.

But, there was one thing that could take her mind off her life's many losses.

An unforgettable mission.

**You don't have to leave a review, this was just a chapter for Ahsoka's recovery, and preparation for a nice mission.**


	19. Black Purity

**Here's another confusing chapter! The chapter after this one will explain some things though. Have fun!**

It was 6 months later. Ahsoka's life was back on track, but only because she had trained herself to forget everything she had lost.

But, at this moment, she was in a slight panic. It was a Council meeting, and she was trying to hold back her frenzy of horror as the Council discussed their next move.

Anakin had been kidnapped. They did not know by whom. He was being held on one place that Ahsoka had never visited.

Umbara.

Umbara had been retaken by the Separatists, and the Republic's efforts of taking the planet a second time were at a standstill. Anakin was once again leading the 501st Legion when his position had been overrun and he had been knocked unconscious, according to the collective accounts of nearby clone troopers.

"Rescue Master Skywalker, we must. But to challenge the Umbaran defenses, foolish it would be."

Master Plo Koon spoke up. "I agree. A full frontal assault against the bunker would be suicidal."

There was silence for a few moments. Mace Windu had an idea. "What if… there was an infiltrator? Someone close to Master Skywalker, who could sense his presence and predict his movements, if he can move."

Ahsoka shifted her feet. This was ridiculous.

Master Kenobi proposed, "I concur. Padawan Tano should go."

Ahsoka's eyes widened and she looked up.

"Chosen Padawan Tano, have you? From what idea, was this made?" Master Yoda inquired.

"She is closer to Anakin than most. She is one of the handful of Jedi that could effectively locate and extract Master Skywalker."

Through a verbal vote, the Council consented. Ahsoka almost ran to her transport. She was not going to lose another person close to her. The ship started up, and she soon cleared the atmosphere. As she activated the hyperdrive, questions peppered her mind.

What did the kidnapper want with Skyguy? Was there secrets that Master Skywalker knew? Why now? And would I be able to rescue him in time?

Umbara was the shadow planet, streaked with red lines from fluorescent vegetation. She touched down and got out of her ship. She walked a few paces, then stopped and closed her eyes. She could feel he was not far. She heard, through the force, a faint scream. Then a blinding pain shot through her. It was Master Skywalker's pain.

He was close. But for many clicks around, there was nothing but large, glowing plants. She trodded up and down many paths, but nothing seemed to appear out of place. She closed her eyes again. The pain was more intense and the screams were louder.

"Hold it right there!" A mechanical voice commanded behind her. She vaulted backward, lightsaber activated. The battle droid was in two clean pieces before he could blast her. There was only one problem. He didn't seem to have come from anywhere.

She managed the follow his tracks for some distance, but they stopped at one point. She heard a low whirring sound when she stepped on a small rock. A hatch yawned beneath her feet, and she fell in. After several seconds of sliding down the pitch-black hole, she rolled onto a dimly lit hallway.

The only greeting she got was a squad of super battle droids. Shortly after they opened fire, alarms blared.

"_Intruder Alert on Entry Level 7-5."_ The speakers blared. She was much, much more agile than the super battle droids, and they ended up in pieces in the blink of an eye. But they had bought just enough time for the Droideka reinforcements to appear. They deployed and their blasters blared with deadly red bolts.

Both her lightsabers were activated and she managed to parry some of the blasts. She stepped behind a wall to think for a moment.

The hallways was quite wide. She had been practicing Attack Form XI. It was basically a shockwave from the lightsaber. She inhaled sharply as the blaster fire pinged around her, and jumped back into the main hallway. She ran a few feet, then leapt straight into the air, doing several front flips while airborne. She came down and plunged her lightsaber blades into the ground, and an invisible Force-wave emitted from her. The Droidekas were thrown backward, and she wasted no time in destroying them. But more squads were on their way, and she stopped several times to dispatch droid patrols.

At one point, 13 squads were on her heels, emptying their magazines. She had long since stopped searching for her master. She was just trying to stay alive in the endless labyrinth. She passed many hatches and doors, but they had all been locked.

The monotonous hallways became a haze, each foot identical to the last. She felt another pang of pain. She had felt that before. Barriss falling. Lux's suicidal attack. Clones blasted. Jedi falling. Hate welled up in her. She was not going to let her master die. She turned and did something no jedi did. Force lightening shot from her fingertips. It jumped from droid to droid, and they dropped in moments. In a few seconds, she was drained of energy from the lightening's power. She seemed to slump over… when a deafening scream emanated from down the hall.

That re-energized her, and she raced down, until she came to a bolted door.

With all power given through the Force, she summoned her energy and thrusted her hands to the door. It blew inwards with a tremendous BOOM!

The room was massive, and mostly covered in shadows. Her master panted at the opposite end of the room, suspended in Jedi manacles.

The room was a blur. She was disoriented, and utterly exhausted.

She managed to trot down part of the room.

But, in the center of the whole area, a figure dropped from the ceiling.

He had landed on one knee, face bent to the ground, one hand touching the floor. He stood up. He was huge. His height wasn't as appalling as his muscles. They bulged from a tightly-secured shell of black Zillo Beast armor. He was hooded and cloaked. When his face lifted towards her, there was nothing there. No face, no mask. Just a void.

But what power that went before him was what drew Ahsoka to a halt. He seemed… pure. He was more clean (In mind and spirit) than Master Yoda, but… at the same time, he was more sinister than the Well of the Dark Side. He was a balance between the two, but his purpose was simply… chaos. That was all that she felt. His destiny was to disrupt, to kill.

He was an imposing figure.

And a dangerous one.

Two rods of plasteel were unclipped. They looked like lightsabers, but their design had no equal. He activated them. They were white. Pure white; unblemished white. Ahsoka felt in him a presence she hadn't felt since the time of…

Reborn.

"Reborn?" She asked cautiously. He didn't answer. What had happened to him? What was he? She tried to sense his thoughts, but an immovable Force-barrier shielded his brain. He was just… awful.

How had he grown so much? Was it really him? What was he doing here?

Involuntarily, she lunged at him. He was planted to the spot, and deflected even the most unique attacks with practiced ease. It seemed like child's play to him, and Ahsoka knew why he was doing that.

It was a tactic used by Dooku. To seem ill-concerned with his opponent to make the adversary feel inferior. It gave an instant mental inferiority emotion. An advantage that Ahsoka could not afford.

He attacked in a blur of white. She couldn't even see the blades, much less parry them. But he didn't kill her, which would have been easy. He kicked his right foot into her stomach, and she flew backwards. She slid along the floor, totally stunned. He walked up to her, and pinned her to the ground.

He raised his free hand to drive the blade through her heart. But something touched deep within him. Something… Ahsoka felt he hadn't ever experienced before.

It was compassion. He stumbled backwards, in somewhat of a shock. "No…" He spoke. His mind was swimming, that was plain to see. He regathered his senses and motioned towards her master. Ahsoka didn't care why he did that, but she ran to Anakin. The manacles deactivated.

He opened his eyes. "Ahsoka…" He breathed, then passed out of consciousness. As if from the shadows themselves, the being appeared before them. He pointed towards the door.

In a voice of shadows, he said, "Through that door is your ship. Get out... and never return. If you do... I will kill you." She nodded and used the Force to pick up Skywalker. In a flash, she was at the door across the hall, once again dodging blaster bolts. The door was unlocked, and she ran to the ship. The Being wasn't lying. There it was.

She wasted no time in climbing in and securing herself and her master. The Being was defending them from the droids as they blaster off.

_"This isn't the end... it is only the beginning." _The Being spoke through the Force.

**Go ahead and rate, I won't bite!**


	20. The Force of the Void

**Time to explain a few things! Perhaps a few perceptive people already have guesses on who The Being is…**

"Padawan Tano, can you give us a summary of your mission?" Mace Windu asked in a Council meeting.

Ahsoka took a deep breath, and explained. "I felt my Master's screams, and I followed them to a secret hatch. After entering, I was pursued by a large amount of droids, but, through one way or another…" She had previously decided to keep the Force lightning a secret, "I dispatched them."

She paused for but a moment. "I forcibly entered Master Skywalker's holding chamber, and a figure dropped onto the floor in front of me."

"Could you give us a description of the being, Padawan?" Mace inquired eagerly.

"He was wearing Zillo beast armor, a black cape and a hood."

"Did you recognize him in any way?"

"When he looked up, he… had no face. There was just… blackness. A void, so to speak."

"What happened next?"

"He was clearly very skilled in the art of lightsaber dueling, as he wielded two blades. They were white."

The Council exchanged glances at each other. Mace asked, "What was his Force aura like?"

"I hadn't felt anything like it, my Masters. He was… pure, like the light from the sun itself, and yet, at the same time, darker than the Sith."

The whole Council was clearly agitated, and Ahsoka assumed they knew something about this… being.

Master Yoda made a low sound in his throat, then spoke through the whispers. "The Force of the Void… it is."

The room became dead silent. Something about that phrase sent chills up Ahsoka's spine.

She hesitantly asked, "The Force… of what?"

"Many years ago, many of such creatures existed. To disrupt and kill, was their nature. Out of balance, the Force was."

"What… happened to them?'

"Jedi. To end the chaos, fight we did. Prevailed, we had."

"But what about this one?"

"One exists always. In the shadows, they remain. Wield both the Light and the Dark sides of the Force, they do. Found the last Being, you have."

"So all he's trying to do is to put the Force into chaos?"

"Powerful, he is, For selfish and selfless gain, his impulsive nature forces him to kill. Dangerous, he is."

"What do we do with him?"

"Strong in the Force, he is. Find him that way, we cannot. Find him, only you can."

"How?'

"Meditate. Clear your thoughts and focus, young Padawan. Talk with him, you will."

She bowed and left the room. As she passed each hallway on the way to her quarters, she thought to herself, _"Who is it? It isn't Reborn, he's too different. But from that time period…"_

She opened the door and sat on the Jedi mat. Her eyes drifted closed. Stars wheeled overhead, until she could see a shadow. A figure emerged. It was no man, just a shadow of one; like a silhouette. Her mind asked, _"Who are you? Why did you help me?"_

The shadow melted away. She saw… him. _"Ahsoka, have you forgotten me already?"_

She was baffled. That was impossible. He was dead. _"You're dead, though! I watched you die."_

"_I did not die. I defeated my enemy."_

"_Where are you? I need to talk with you! In person!" _Her mind pleaded.

The figure began to dissipate, but he said a parting phrase.

"_Don't worry. We'll meet again. I promise…. Promise… promise…"_

Then her eyes burst open and she regained consciousness, panting. Impossible. He couldn't have defeated that thing. It was an impregnable enemy. And if he was alive, what was he doing as the one with the Force of the Void?

But she knew they would meet again. But perhaps not on such peaceful terms.

**If any of you are wondering, yes, I made him mostly anonymous, even in this chapter, on purpose. Leave a review!**


	21. Order 66

**This is the chapter… where a secret comes to light!**

"Contact left! Rex, take out that tank!" Ahsoka screamed.

"Womp Squad, clear that platform!" Rex ordered. A squad rushed over to a tank. The tank fired on them, but they were faster. They ended up throwing grenades into the hatches, the blast sending a shower of shrapnel on the clone's position.

The location of this battle was Mandalore, following the Battle over Coruscant. The Chancellor was safe again, but through the distraction, droids had begun to occupy Mandalore. Even at the end of the war, Mandalore had to choose a side. Ahsoka led the 501st Legion against the droids.

"Mark 9-7-5! FIRE!" Rex shouted to the heavy cannon gunners. The gun swiveled, then let loose a barrage of powerful energy. That assault was nearly useless though, this being a full-scale invasion. Blaster fire cut down clone troopers left and right.

Rex turned to Ahsoka. "Commander, now would be a good time!"

She held up one hand. "Wait…. Wait….."

She waited a few seconds more. "Now!" She shouted.

Rex pushed the button on the controller he was holding. The droid's position went up in smoke and explosions. More were coming. The outlines of Corporate Alliance Tank droids and C.R.A.B droids could be seen through the dark haze.

Ahsoka switched on her comlink. "Rocket launchers, fire!"

From behind her, rockets streaked through the sky and rained on the droids.

She turned to Rex. "Follow me." She smirked. She vaulted over the barrier and charged.

"501st… Charge!" Rex shouted as he, too, leapt the wall. Clones began pouring across the landscape, bathing the ground in a moving white and blue mass.

The next scene cannot be put in words. The only befitting word for the battle was chaos. More rockets, plasma charges, detonators, blaster bolts, screams, commands, running…. The battle raged on.

Ahsoka came near the Separatist headquarters. A cyborg figure approached. (**Author's note: I am angered whenever people refer to Grievous as a droid. He is a cyborg. Just thought I'd throw that in there**)

"Grievous." She whispered maliciously.

"Once again, the Jedi send a child to defeat me."

She smirked. "Last time your battle station blew up."

He growled and activated his four lightsabers. She jumped through the air on top of Grievous. His lightsabers whirred and he parried her attack. Slice, stab, kick, parry, attack, retreat. He lunged out irregularly at one point and she slashed out at his prosthetic leg. He growled in pain and rage as part of it was burned.

"You should have stayed over Coruscant where you were safer, Grievous!"

And the battle between the two went on as Ahsoka's heroic clones pushed forward.

In the end, they took the capital, and stopped there to rest. Grievous had long retreated, and it was said the Obi-Wan was fighting him on some planet called Utapau.

Ahsoka was quite tired, as were the clones. But what she didn't know was that, at this moment, her master was turning to the Dark Side, and the Jedi Order was about to fall.

She was reading a holo-report of the battle - casualty numbers, strategies, and so forth, when she heard, in her head, a scream. Then another. Then a pang of sorrow shot through her frame. The screams became much more frequent and intensified. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. And it involved the Jedi.

She put down the holo-report and closed her eyes. She saw… clones. They were firing on the Jedi. The Jedi were outmatched and fell. So many Jedi… dying.

Meanwhile, across the room… "Take those missiles to the heavy cannons right away." Rex told a trooper. His comlink warbled. He took it out from his belt and activated it.

A hooded and cloaked figure appeared on the hologram. He knew who it was.

"Captain Rex… now is the time. Execute Order 66." Then the hologram disappeared. Secretly, it was the order he feared the most to carry out. He nodded at several troopers lounging in front of him. They loaded their weapons and surrounded Commander Tano.

Rex placed on his helmet and walked up to her. He pulled out his blasters and pointed them at her. Her eyes opened.

"I'm sorry, Commander…" He almost squeezed the trigger when a figure landed right in front of Ahsoka.

Ahsoka knew that being. It was the Being on Umbara. The one with the Force of the Void. Head still bent to the ground and in a kneeling position, he thrust his arms outward. The Force push was powerful enough to knock them all off their feet.

"Ahsoka, time to go!" The figure said in a familiar voice. It wasn't the dark voice like on Umbara. It was… no. It couldn't be.

He grabbed her arm and started running. She ran with him as the clones fired on them. He deflected the blasts with his white lightsabers, but they were gaining.

They ran around a corner. He stopped and turned around.

"What are you doing?!" Ahsoka shouted at him. He lifted his hands and the ceiling on the large room shook… and crumbled. Large pieces began to fall, until the whole ceiling collapsed and crushed many clones. More were coming, hellbent on killing Ahsoka.

"We must fight." The Being breathed. Ahsoka activated her lightsabers.

They could only get through one point in the wall of collapsed ceiling. The men in blue and white streamed through, blasters firing. The two acted as one mind and lunged at them, using the razor attack. Clone after clone screamed and fell. They fought, it seemed, endlessly. The clones fell back to regroup. She knew they wouldn't be gone long.

"I know where to go." He said. He gathered the Force, and leaped straight up into the shadows of the building's roof. He didn't come back down. He had disappeared. Ahsoka, too, gathered her energy and leaped with all her might. She went up, up, up… and then landed on a surface. Her eyes accustomed to the darkness, and she could make out his shape. He whispered,

"Follow me." And ran down the hidden path in the shadows. She quickly followed him. They ran for a while until Ahsoka's legs began to give out. At this point, he turned towards the wall and opened a secret door to the outside.

He motioned for her to come, and he went through the door. She was panting; more exhausted then she had ever been, and that was saying something. Out of nowhere, he picked her up bridal style and jumped off the roof. They plummeted down to the ground and Ahsoka could not help but let out a low squeal. They were about to go _ker-splat_ against the ground, when they went past the planet's surface and into the ground.

They landed in darkness, underground. He put her down, and flipped some switched. The hatch above them closed, and lights turned on. It was a neatly kept underground apartment, it seemed.

He turned to her. The void where his face should be seemed to fade, and he simultaneously threw back his hood.

"Hopefully you haven't forgotten me yet, Ahsoka." He said, jokingly.

She clutched his collar and kissed him passionately. He groaned into the kiss, and she pulled away, smirking.

"Lux Bonteri, have I ever told you that you are more trouble than any guy I have ever met?"

**How do you like it? Please please please please please please please leave a review!**


	22. Explanations and Romance

**And now, the chapter you've been waiting for! Time to answer a few questions regarding Lux, and get their romance back on track.**

"No, but, I have a feeling you thought that about me a long time ago." He smiled.

"I thought you were long dead."

"You probably thought a lot of similar things –"

"Enough of that. I have questions for you." She spoke sternly.

"Ok, but don't kill me with these questions."

"Alright. First question: How did you come by the data I was trying to retrieve from the Citadel? That was sensitive and deadly information, not to mention extremely hard to come by."

He sighed. "After I left you, I went to Serenno with a complicated assassination attempt on Dooku. I failed, and ended up quite injured deep in his fortress, being ruthlessly hunted all the while. I ran, like you on Umbara, aimlessly through the halls. I finally found an open door, and went in. It was empty; I assume because the former occupants were out looking for me. But, it was apparently the secondary Serennian command center. I realized I had a chance at information that would both clear my name as a separatist and give me money to start a new life."

"So you took some data."

"A holomemory chip, yes. I stole it, but had no way of escape."

"How'd you get out?"

He turned his head and called out, "Hey, she wants to see you."

Ahsoka gasped as The Reborn appeared around a corner. She rested her hands on her lightsabers and growled, "What do you want?"

Helmet off, he coldly stared at her. "I've got red in my ledger. I'd like to wipe it out." He replied shortly.

"That much red stains too deep." She hissed.

He sighed. "You're never gonna forgive me, are you?" Ahsoka was about to reply, when Lux cut her off.

"He helped me out. Apparently he was trying to steal the information I had just got to before him. He broke me out of there, and came… here."

Ahsoka said, "So that's where this apartment came from."

Lux smirked, "No one would dare to search for us on a neutral planet."

Then he paused and frowned. "…Or so I thought. Droids found me in the Mandalorian marketplace and took me prisoner."

She leaned in. "And took you to the Citadel?"

He nodded. "They tortured me, since I had memorized the information."

"Why didn't you give it to the Republic?"

"I did."

"But… how?"

"It was given to the Chancellor, and he told us to never speak of it again. He even paid us extra to keep quiet."

Ahsoka sighed. "There has always been evil surrounding the Chancellor."

Reborn spoke up. "More than you know, little lady. I suppose you didn't know of Order 66?"

She shook her head. "I thought not. Anyway, while you two were out dancing a few minutes ago, I found news stories saying that clones had overthrown the Jedi, and Palpatine was declared the Emperor for the first Galactic Empire. Some say he's a Sith Lord."

He stopped, then continued. "…And he has a new apprentice."

Something about that statement made her heart sink. "Who?"

"Anakin Skywalker."

Her eyes went wide and she fell off the couch in shock. She gulped in air, and Lux knew that it was her former Master.

In a minute or two she regained her senses, and decided to change the subject. "Lux… how did you get to be the one with the Force of the Void?"

His features hardened and his face became dark, frightening Ahsoka.

"Some secrets… are better left secret, Ahsoka." He said quietly.

His face softened again, and his frown broke into a warm smile.

That made her feel a bit better, enough to give her courage for her next question. "And how did you know I was here?"

He leaned back against the couch, and spoke again. "Thing is, we planned for you to be here."

She looked puzzled. He flashed an amused smile and continued. "You see, we made it possible for the droids to invade Mandalore."

She gasped. "We opened secure ports and made them public, which was an unspoken invitation for the droids to attack."

She smirked and said, "That's a complicated stunt, I'll bet."

"We timed it right so that you would be the best option to come and save this planet."

"…And you waited until I was resting from battle."

"When Order 66 was executed, yes."

"You go to a lot of trouble to get together with your girlfriend."

He put his arm around her and pulled her close. "I said I would wait for you. Even when my life was changed, I would never break that promise."

He looked into her eyes and kissed her on the lips. She put her arms around him and deepened the kiss. The Reborn appeared disgusted.

"No matter how many times I see it, I can't stand romance."

Lux broke away from the kiss and eyed him. "You obviously haven't had an attractive girlfriend before."

He shook his head. "If that's what I'll end up doing," He motioned to them, "I'd be better off without love, thank you."

Lux rolled his eyes and laid on top of Ahsoka. Reborn grumbled to himself, "Can't a boyfriend and girlfriend have a quiet evening that doesn't lead to sex?"

With that, he turned to walk away. Lux said, "Could you hurry?"

Ahsoka looked him in the eye. "I hope you know I'm still not having actual sex."

He mock pouted. "You're no fun."

She pulled his face toward hers. "Although, there is more than one way to please a girl."

He smirked deviously. "Do tell."

Perhaps that shall give you an idea of the rest of the evening.

**Hope you like it! And, I'll bet a bunch of you are upset by my not explaining Lux's Force sensitivity more, I just want you guys to come up with your own theories. **

**Leave a review please!**


	23. Finding Forgiveness

**Time to give this story a sweet twist!**

Lux woke to see Ahsoka sleeping beside him. The dawn would be breaking soon, but they wouldn't be able to see it here, underground. He smiled at her thin form. He couldn't help but reach out his hand and trace her facial markings. They were pure, prominent, and most of all, beautiful. She was just perfect. How in the galaxy did he get such a wonderful girl as her?

Still asleep, she turned to face him, and giggled softly as he drew circles with his fingers on her belly. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled.

"Morning, Soka."

"It's morning already?"

He smiled back. "Crazy, isn't it?"

She smirked. "Well, I guess it's not so bad to wake up to you."

"That's good. I don't think you'd be particularly happy to wake up to Reborn, based on your emotions yesterday evening."

She frowned. "Not really, no."

He leaned back against the headboard. "Wouldn't there be any way for him to make it up to you? The tension between you two could've been cut with a knife."

"If you were staying in the establishment of the one who killed your best friend, you'd understand."

"Hopefully, something like this will make it up to you."

With that, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. She put her hand on his cheek and deepened the kiss. He moaned in pleasure. Eventually, he separated from her and smiled.

"What?" She asked.

"I was just thinking… how in Force's sake did I get such a great girl?"

She smirked. "It sure wasn't your charm."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She kissed him again, and broke apart. "You just got lucky."

They heard footsteps coming to the door, and the wall comlink buzzed. Lux used the Force to activate it. "Yeah?" Lux inquired.

"Hey, lovebirds, just wanted you to see this." Reborn stated seriously.

"We'll be out in a minute." Lux replied.

They climbed out of bed and put their clothes back on. Lux opened the door and went out into the main room. Reborn was at a holomonitor, looking at camera viewscreens. He motioned to them to come over.

They walked to him, and Lux asked, "What's up?"

"Well, first, I want to show you this."

Ahsoka gasped as she watched thousands of troopers combing the palace and grounds for someone or something. More were leaving that area to start a sweep of the city.

"Apparently they want the girl pretty bad."

Lux responded coldly. "Order 66 was supposed to wipe out all Jedi. They probably won't stop searching for her for at least 7 rotations."

"Looks like you two are stuck here, unfortunately."

Ahsoka shot him a glance. "Quite unfortunate… for me."

He sighed. "Oh, and one other thing. I wanted to give you some news stories about Order 66's execution."

He clicked a few buttons and numerous reporter holograms activated. Some were at sites of crashed Jedi starfighters, speeders, and cruisers. Others were at still bodies. Many were at the ruins of the Jedi Temple, which had been attacked and burnt. A few had managed to gain access, and showed the carnage that had taken place. The sacred halls turned into open tombs for the dead.

Ahsoka stumbled back and fell to the ground in shock and sadness. He turned to her and kneeled down. "I'm so sorry, Ahsoka."

He hugged her tightly and she hugged him back as tears spilled from her eyes. All her friends… Master Plo, Kelt, Master Kenobi (For she didn't know that he had lived), and the fall of Master Skywalker, losing them… was too much.

They stayed in hiding in Reborn's apartment for many rotations until they were sure the clones had gone. Ahsoka greatly enjoyed going to the Mandalorian markets, especially the clothing stores. Lux always came with her, proving to be a responsible and caring lover.

It is there that we rejoin them, just after Ahsoka parts with Lux as he heads back to the apartment to rest. She had dragged him to every store on the block, and he needed a nap. She shook her head and smiled as he fake-staggered in the direction of the apartment.

She turned to a shop vendor. He was a thin Twi'lek with a warm smile and a business-like manner about him. "How much for 4 Jogan fruit?" She asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am, I'm out of those for the week."

She frowned. He quickly spoke up again though, saying, "B-b-but the last store on the left has some, I believe." She nodded, and headed in that direction. As she entered the dimly-lit store, she felt uneasy. Something wasn't right. She was immediately alarmed when she went through the doors, because there wasn't anything in here. It was totally empty. She turned to leave, when the doors sealed shut and a ray shield activated.

She froze as she heard a chilling female voice behind her. "Finally. It's about time you fell into my trap."

She turned and scowled darkly. "Ventress. What do you want?"

She appeared out of the shadows. "I deliver your head to the Emperor's desk, I receive a fortune."

"That's not gonna happen. I'm still skilled with a lightsaber, even though I'm not a Jedi anymore."

Ventress took out her lightsabers. They glowed blood red in the darkness. Ahsoka had cleverly hidden her lightsabers in her clothes for a chance occasion such as this. She took them out and activated them. She waited for Ventress to attack first. Ventress leapt into the air and brought her lightsabers down on Ahsoka. She deflected the attack and threw Ventress backwards. Ventress came again and attacked in a whir of crimson. Left, right, jab, kick, retreat. Ahsoka was hardly managing to keep her footing. If she made a single mistake, her severed head would end up on Palpatine's desk.

However, after several months of not using her lightsabers, she was a little unsure of herself, and felt her body weakening. If she didn't do something fast, she would lose the fight, and her life. With a last burst of energy, she attacked with fury. Ventress was slightly surprised and fell back. But Ventress was not above using more than her lightsabers. She blocked Ahsoka's next attack and held her lightsabers against Ahsoka's, so that she could deliver a hard kick to Ahsoka's stomach. That knocked the wind out of her, and she dropped her shoto.

She desperately attempted an offensive, but Ventress would not yield an inch of ground. Instead, she kicked Ahsoka's wrist and her other lightsaber flew from her grasp. Ventress pinned her down. Ahsoka again saw Lux do the same thing to her on Umbara. But no force in the galaxy could stop the killing blow.

"I hope you don't have any last words, Jedi brat." She raised her lightsaber in her free hand and started to swing it down. Ahsoka closed her eyes, resigned to death.

Then Ventress stopped mid-stroke, her eyes widened to the fullest and her mouth fixed in a ghastly silent scream. Then a blade of green appeared through her chest. Ahsoka saw a shadow behind Ventress's contorted form. Ventress dropped to the floor after the lightsaber was withdrawn.

She looked up to her savior.

It was Reborn.

He had his daily tunic on, so she assumed he was simply in the market as well.

Ahsoka was at a loss for words. She tried to speak, but no words came out. After a few seconds of mouthing words, she managed to say,

"Thanks."

His features softened slightly. "I only came here to help."

She smirked. "I think you just came here to clear your name."

"Well, did I?"

She thought for several long seconds. She looked him in the eye and said,

"Maybe. I don't know if you heart is in the right place, though."

"'Maybe' isn't an answer…. Am I forgiven?" She stared at the pleading look in his eyes. She heard the lightsaber being driven through Barriss's chest, the same blade that was used to save her life. Both actions were serious, but only a greater force could render her to forgive him.

She smiled slightly. "I forgive you."

The Reborn had finally found… forgiveness. It was the first step towards a new life. The first step to love.

**Whaddya think? Oh, and, in case you're wondering, when I said "love", I swear I didn't mean love between Reborn and Ahsoka, haha.**

**Leave a review!**


	24. A Time of Joy

**Hey guys! Sorry that I had to do a boring romantic chapter, but it had to be done. Oh, and don't worry, there is one more official chapter left, not including the epilogue. Enjoy!**

"Where are we going?" A blindfolded Ahsoka asked her smirking boyfriend.

"Don't peek, or you'll ruin the surprise." He answered smugly.

It was 4 years later. Ahsoka had grown from a mischievous teenager to a tall, beautiful woman, which stretched beyond physical appearance. What Lux notice most was her new manner, a manner that suggested a high level of intelligence and wisdom. She still kept many of her teenager traits though, a prospect that Lux exploited often. Lux, too, had become and responsible and caring man, loving and respectable.

They had established a new life on another part of Mandalore, to avoid falling into another trap of some sort. Lux took a long time to forgive himself for not being there for her when she dueled Ventress, and never stopped thanking Reborn.

We join them as Lux tugs her through the streets on a very special day that had been planned for some time. Ahsoka had no clue what was going on, but she knew he was a man of many surprises and romantic gestures. He did this occasionally to show her a special spot he had found or a secret present he had for her, and she assumed this to be no different.

He pulled her off the street towards a quieter part of town, and led her a few more minutes.

He had become quite good at blocking her sensing abilities, and he used that to his advantage in this instance as well.

"Stop." He ordered quietly.

They paused. He took the blindfold off. She gasped. It was a garden filled with scented flowers, sunlight streaming through the living 'roof'. It was breathtaking.

She looked at him a smiled warmly. "You always knew how to find the perfect spot."

He smiled back. "That's not the best part. Follow me."

She walked just behind him as they wound through the trees and plants, until he told her that they were here. She was, once again, in awe. It was a shimmering waterfall, surrounded by smooth Syrragian stones.

He turned to her. "What do you think?"

She was at a loss for words. She hardly managed to say, "It's… beautiful."

They stood in silence for a few moments. She could sense Lux's nervousness, since he had lifted the barrier after removing the blindfold. He looked at her dead in the eye.

"Ahsoka… I have a question for you."

"Anything."

He slowly kneeled on one knee, pulled out a small Togrutan jewel box and opened it. She gasped in utter shock, to put it mildly. Their emotions were indescribable at best.

He spoke with a voice that quivered slightly. "Ahsoka Gaith Tano… Will you marry me?"

A smile that outshined all others broke across her face, her eyes brimming with tears of joy.

Her voice was broken, but she looked him in his tense, yet overjoyed face. "Yes."

His tension turned into wordless elation. He nearly jumped up to meet her hug. He drew back slightly, and kissed her deeply on the lips.

After reluctantly breaking apart, he slowly removed the shimmering ring from the box and placed it on her finger. The time that was destined since she first saw him… had come.

Fast forward one year. Yes, that's right, they had a full year of engagement. Ahsoka had often said it was a torturous year, waiting all those rotations. But he always told her to do the one thing she could never do – be patient.

The wedding was to be a private, almost secret affair. No guests would be present; not because they were afraid, but because they wanted this to be a special, personal moment. There would only be one other involved.

As unromantic as he seemed, Reborn would function as the Myrnan (Basically the Justice of the Peace) and join the couple in holy matrimony.

The location was the spot of his proposal, just a little ways from the gentle waterfall. Today was an unusually clear and sunny day, very rare and welcomed on Mandalore. The sky was perfect, as was the wedding itself.

Through my inexperience regarding wedding procedures, I cannot replicate every little thing the Justice of the Peace says, so I shall bring you in at the end of the ceremony.

"…And do you, Ahsoka Gaith Tano, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love and cherish from this day until death do you part?" Reborn finished.

She fixed her hypnotizing blue eyes on his and said, with all her heart, "I do."

Reborn smiled and finished his part. "Through the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Lux gently leaned across and captured her in an unforgettable kiss. The galaxy seemed to be flawless… the balance of the universe re-established.

Reborn quietly left them in the garden, to give them some time alone.

After a long while, they broke apart. Lux broke the perfect silence. "This is my dream, Ahsoka, since first I could remember. The one for me, whom I could love and cherish, for life. But now that it has come true… I'm not sure what to think."

She smiled warmly and said, "You'll just have to come up with a new dream."

He smirked slightly. "I've got a short-term one."

She eyed him with mock seriousness, mixed with comedy.

"You've been thinking about that since our… 'incident' at the Temple, haven't you?"

He smirked again. "Yes, and I have already prepared the bridal chamber."

"Lead the way."

It is the start of a new time. A new life and bond. But there is one more secret to give, one more smile to put on your face.

But that's… the Last Chapter.

**To those who muzzled their way through the romance, how did you like it? **

**Two things:**

**One, yes, I did purposefully create the proposal and wedding as a human proposal/wedding. Hopefully I did ok, this chapter really meant a lot to me. My big bro just proposed to his girlfriend, they're to get married January 2014.**

**And two, some may disagree with me making Reborn the Justice of the Peace. I just wanted to put a clever twist to the story, I swear I'm not trying to sully the people who are legitimate Justices of the Peace.**

**Please, please rate!**


	25. The Bridal Chamber

**Here's a chapter with mature content. I am posting this chapter and the next simultaneously, lemme know if you like them.**

**WARNING – DESCRIPTIVE SEXUAL CONDUCT. FOR MATURE READERS **_**ONLY.**_

"Follow me." He said quietly. He led her farther into the forest, until he stopped at a small cabin.

"Here we are, my lady." He said to her. She was about to walk in, when he suddenly swept her up bridal style and carried her inside, enjoying to her giggles all the way.

He put her down. It was a cozy, one-room cabin with shutters and a luxurious bed.

She turned to him. "You had this all planned out?"

He smiled mischievously. "Of course."

He walked over to the bed and sat down. Smirking, she walked over to him and gently sat in his lap. He kissed her passionately as he laid her on the bed.

"Too much clothing. I don't even know where to begin." He chuckled.

She removed the veil from her head and tore off her long skirt-like part of her wedding dress. Don't worry, it was meant to do that.

With a twinkle in his eye, he said, "Now I know."

He reached down and pinned her to the bed with a hard kiss. He slid down the gown's shoulders and began sucking her neck. Her eyes widened and she moaned in pleasure.

He continued gently pulling the shoulders down until her bra was exposed.

"May I?" He mock asked her.

She smirked and nodded. He drooled a little bit as he took the bra off.

"I have a feeling you like those better than the gown." She giggled.

He mercilessly descended upon them and sucked on one as she moaned louder. He was having a great time when she pushed him up.

"Something wrong?" He asked, puzzled.

"You need to take off that suit." She replied firmly.

"As you wish, my lady."

He removed the suit coat, tie, and shirt, and she smiled brightly as he took off his undershirt.

"You are such a fitness nut." She shook her head.

"Hey, can I help it if I want to please you?"

She put her hand on his chest, and he moaned in pleasure. She began stroking his sides, enjoying his arousal.

He kissed her passionately as he pulled the dress down further. She moaned into the kiss and continued running a hand over his chest.

The dress came down to waist level, and he broke apart only once.

"I trust you are ready for it?" He asked. The gown was fully pulled off and thrown to the floor.

"Maybe, but I'm not finished touching you!" She replied with a smirk.

He rubbed her womanhood as she unbuckled his belt and pulled his pants and underwear down.

"I believe _you're_ ready, though." She mused.

He continued rubbing her womanhood, eliciting groans of pleasure. He suddenly dove down and began ravenously sucking it, causing her to cry out in surprise and pleasure.

He stuck his tongue into her and put it in and out, causing her screams to increase in volume and frequency.

Eventually, he pulled up while she panted.

"I hope you're ready _now_." He told her.

"Yeah, but be careful, it's my first time."

"Don't worry… I'm never going to hurt you."

He positioned himself at her entrance and pressed against the opening. He took a deep breath and slowly went in.

She exclaimed in pain. He stopped. She drew in a few calming breaths, then nodded for him to continue. Very slowly, he proceeded. Her pain outweighed her pleasure at this point, and she bit her lip to not cry out.

Finally, he reached her wall. He looked at her cautiously, then gently broke it, taking her virginities with its breaking. She screamed in pain, a few tears escaping her eyes. He stopped and waited for a good 30 seconds to let her recover. She looked at him again and nodded. He drew out, then pushed back in. This time, the pain had greatly subsided and she moaned in pleasure. After a few more slow thrusts, she pressed him.

"You gotta speed it up." She told him sternly. He had been waiting for that command, and he gradually sped up the thrusts.

"AH! YES! THAT'S IT! OH FORCE!" She exclaimed.

"BY THE JEDI! SO TIGHT! AHH!" He shouted out in response.

He was reaching a very fast pace, crying out in pleasure all the while as she screamed in ecstasy.

He found her sweet spot, and realized it when she screamed higher. He continually pounded that spot until she screamed at the top of her lungs and came hard. The tightening of her walls made him release his floodgates simultaneously.

He pulled out and collapsed on the bed beside her, both of them panting heavily.

He smiled at her and she said, "C'mon, you can't be tired already!"

He didn't say a word in response, but pulled her up. "Would you get on your hands and knees for me babe?" He asked. She obliged and he gently entered. He knew he still had to be a little more careful, this being their first time, and that girls had a lot harder time the first go than guys. He entered slowly, and then gradually gained speed.

"OH GOD! SO TIGHT! AH!" He screamed.

"FASTER! OH FORCE! RIGHT THERE!"

"AHSOKA! I LOVE YOU!" He shouted out. Similar outbursts ensued as they both thoroughly enjoyed this time.

He couldn't hold it any longer and came hard. She came as well in with a deafening scream.

They rested again, and Lux asked, "You up for another go?"

"Only if I'm in charge." She smirked. He nodded and she climbed on top of him.

This was only a small taste of that evening.

**Do ya like a little adult content? Hopefully I did alright. This chapter doesn't really need reviews, I just wanted to give a little in-depth background of the next – the last – chapter.**


	26. The Last Chapter

**Ah, alas, we now come upon the final chapter. It's been super fun for me to write, hopefully you enjoyed it as well. Read on!**

Ahsoka woke up in the middle of the night, while Lux was still sound asleep, and rubbed her swollen belly. She would occasionally awake and have to read a holobook to get her body to fall back asleep. Being 9 months pregnant was not easy. Morning sickness and constant fatigue were just small factors of it she had to deal with. It had become a routine.

She was about to reach for her holobook, when she felt a pang of pain, making her grunt. She dismissed it, and picked up her holobook. But after a little while, she felt it again, this time a little stronger. She was a little worried, but did not waken Lux until she felt another, more painful and closer together shot of pain.

Her mind suddenly snapped her the thought. Oh no. Not now. How could it be any more inconvenient? But, of course, you couldn't tell labor to go away until morning, so she shook Lux.

He groaned in exasperation and annoyedly asked, "What is it, Ahsoka?"

Panicked, she replied, "It's coming. Now. We need to go."

His mind wasn't working so smoothly at 02.00 in the morning. "What's com…" His eyes suddenly shot open and he bolted up. "Now?" He asked.

She exclaimed in pain, then replied, "Yes. _Now._"

He threw off the covers and pulled her to their ship. He then picked her up bridal style and secured her in the passenger seat. The contractions were becoming intense. He didn't have much time. He jumped into the pilot's seat and sped off in the direction of the nearest Medical Bay.

Upon arrival, he leaped over the ship to her side, and lifted her out. He fast-walked with her in his arms to the desk. The operator's eyes went wide and quickly picked up the comlink. "Emergency personnel. We have a B-23." In hardly a moment, a crew with a wheelchair raced out a door of the bay and came to her. Without even looking at Lux, they sat her down in the wheelchair. As fast as they could go, they went back to the main hallway.

Lux turned to the operator. "She will be taken to room A-237." She spoke calmly.

Lux nodded his thanks and nearly ran to the room. Of course, the door was locked, and he was agonized by her screams. They ensued for a seemingly endless 10 minutes, until they stopped. He held his breath, then felt a new presence in that room. Simultaneously there was a small cry. He waited impatiently. After all eternity, the door opened.

A medical droid motioned him inside. "Congratulations, sir." Was his only words to him. The doctors backed up slightly to allow him to see the baby. She looked up, teary-eyed. "It's a boy." She said. They could have easily found that out earlier, but they agreed to make it a surprise, so as to heighten the fun.

She tilted the wrapped baby towards him. It was a human baby, with hints of brown hair. He was small, but clearly quite energetic. Lux knelt beside the bed.

"He's… beautiful." Were the only words that came out of his mouth. There was a long time of complete silence, admiring the child.

Lux finally turned to her. "What should we name him?"

By this time, the doctors and medical droids had left the room, to give them some privacy.

She looked at the baby. "I think we should name him… Han."

He stared at her, puzzled. "Han? Where'd that come from?"

He flashed him a stern look that lasted but a moment before it softened. "I heard some of the marketplace ladies talking about a Han. I thought it was a very nice name."

He thought for a moment, staring at the child. "Han… it does have a nice ring to it." The baby opened his eyes and gurgled. Strangely enough, it reached out for its mother, despite being only a few minutes old.

Lux chuckled. "He's certainly one-of-a-kind." He said.

Then he thought of something, and voiced a question.

"I don't think it's safe for him to bear either of our last names. Our enemies probably know I'm affiliated with you, and you're a wanted fugitive. He needs a new last name."

She pondered the question. Her face brightened suddenly, and she smiled at Lux. "You yourself said he's one-of-a-kind. I think the last name should be Solo."

He gazed out the window.

"Han Solo it is."

But that is just the beginning.

And so, our story ends here. The tale of two beings who found each other by fate and encountered many adventures together.

A story of love, and darkness, and action. Few have seen it, the winding path.

But these two are well on their way trekking along it. This couple knows the ways of the Forbidden Path.

**How'd you like it? Did you gasp and smile as Ahsoka recommended Han as the baby's name? Did I come up with a fitting ending?**

**Yes, I am talking about the Han Solo we all know. Whether you want to love the idea or criticize me for making Han's parents Lux and Ahsoka, I just thought it would be super-awesome, so I went through with it. But please, if you don't like it, say so sanely, please. Cyber-yelling I don't appreciate that terrible much, haha.**

**I will be making an epilogue.**

**Oh, and DON'T FORGET: when you write your review, please let me know if I should make a sequel. If enough people enjoyed it and want me to make another one, please let me know.**

**If you haven't written a review for this story yet (Or if you have already, it doesn't matter), I beg of you to write one now. I really wanna know how I'm doing.**


	27. Epilogue and Prologue

**Here's the epilogue… and prologue! Hopefully I'll get around to the sequel, but I have a super cool idea for an Ahsoka romance, go check it out. It should be called "A Red Dawn." I just published it 10:00 P.M. 3/30/2013.**

_Today is Han's 4__th__ birthday. He's getting quite energetic and funny, and never stops getting into trouble. Lux still visualizes Han as the baby he isn't anymore. Han drives Lux crazy by running through the house or laughing hysterically. He's talking proficiently, too. _

_I don't know why, but Lux never enjoyed showing Han a blaster pistol. Maybe he's getting paranoid already._

_Thankfully, Han is adjusting well to our Mandalorian home. I still wish my master was not the infamous Darth Vader. It pains me to even think of him anymore. _

_Until next time,_

_Ahsoka_

Ahsoka saved the holodiary page and put it away.

Han ran in. "Mommy, mommy, when do I get my gifts?" He eagerly asked

She looked at him and smiled. "You will get them when you are patient, little one."

At that moment, Lux pounced on Han and starting tickling him mercilessly. Han screamed as Lux hit his most ticklish spot and carried him away.

Ahsoka suddenly felt uncomfortable. Someone just knocked on the door. Ahsoka cautiously walked to the door, Lux following.

Ahsoka opened it.

Stormtroopers aimed blasters at them, just as a dark figure emerged from their lines.

Darth Vader had come.

To kill the last of the Jedi.

**What'll happen to Lux and Ahsoka? **

**Please rate!**


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